SFI refutes Virbhadra’s remarks

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 23

The SFI has taken an exception to the remarks of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh that some student organisation erected tents on the university campus throughout the year, vitiating the academic atmosphere, and they should be shunted out and described the observations of the CM as “uncalled for and misplaced”.

The Chief Minister had alleged that these students neither studied themselves nor allowed others to study but a cursory look into the results of various competitive examinations revealed that the maximum toppers and students, who had cleared the National Entrance Test (NET), State Entrance Test (SET) and Junior Research Fellow (JRF) exams were from among the student leaders, said SFI campus president Noval Thakur.

The Chief Minister had asked the students leaders to come into politics openly, the SFI said, “We have been asking for election to the Students Central Association (SCA) for long time to show the NSUI its place. He regretted that instead of talking about the problems of the students like inadequate budget, shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff and problems created by hasty implementation of RUSA, the Chief Minister preferred to target the SFI.

“We have been on a chain hunger strike for the past 108 days and will continue to fight for the rights of the students,” said Thakur, adding that it was not a pleasure for them to sit on a hunger strike but adamant and insensitive attitude of the university authorities and the state government had forced us to go on warpath.