Hyderabad, February 9: The State BJP president, Mr G Kishan Reddy, on Tuesday observed day-long hunger strike at Indira Park (Dharna Chowk) in protest against inordinate delay in release of tuition fee reimbursement to the private college managements and disbursement of scholarships to the students. The senior BJP leaders, Mr Bandaru Dattatreya, Dr K Laxman and others also participated in relay hunger strike.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Kishan Reddy said that the students were facing severe hardship due to non-release of tuition fee reimbursement by the State government. The government was yet to clear Rs 3,500-crore arrears of tuition fee reimbursement to the colleges, he said and charged the government with neglecting to release tuition free reimbursement arrears and scholarships which was linked to the education of 24 lakh students in the State.
“Furthermore, Rs 5,000 crores should be allocated for tuition fee reimbursement and scholarships in the 2011-12 Budget by the State government”, he demanded. Charging the government with not fulfilling its assurance given to the Supreme Court to clear the arrears of tuition fee reimbursement by January 29, the BJP leader criticized the government for cheating even the Apex Court. He also demanded setting up of a special Directorate for tuition fee reimbursement and scholarships.
Mr Kishen Reddy said the BJP would raise the issue in the budget session of the Assembly. It would also intensify agitation with taking support of the SCs, STs and BCs if the government failed to release fee reimbursement and scholarships immediately.
Reminding that a B.Tech girl student Varalaxmi had committed suicide due to government’s failure to release tuition fee reimbursement on time, Dr Lakshman demanded that the government immediately take steps to release tuition fee reimbursement in time.
NSS