ABVP activists burn CM’s effigy, protest closure of edu institutions

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Chamba district unit, staged a protest against the government’s decision to shut down educational institutions across the state on Friday. The protestors also burned an effigy of the Chief Minister and later submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, urging immediate action on their demands.

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ABVP district coordinator Arun Pandit accused the government of closing several educational institutions that had been operational for years and planning to shut down many more. He termed this move as a betrayal to students, especially those from remote areas, who will now be forced to travel long distances on difficult terrains for their education. Parents, too, are worried about their children’s safety due to poor road conditions in these regions.

The student organisation demanded that the government reconsider the closure of educational institutions, keeping in mind the state’s geographical challenges. They also pressed for the restoration of student union elections, immediate recruitment for academic and non-academic posts, depoliticisation of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), effective implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, withdrawal of the guest teacher recruitment decision, and the appointment of permanent Vice-Chancellors at CSK and HPU.

Additionally, ABVP called for strengthening of the infrastructure of colleges, improving law and order in the state, and introducing youth-centric curricula in all educational institutions. The organisation warned that if their demands were not met promptly, they would intensify their agitation across the state, holding the government accountable for the consequences.