Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Jul 22: Students of schools and colleges all over the state boycotted their classes on Saturday July 21 and held protest demonstrations, demanding issuance of free bus passes to all classes of students without delay.
A number of organizations including All India Democratic Students Organization, AllIndia Democratic Youth Organization, and several others had supported the call. College students including those from the city voluntarily took part in the agitation. District level protest processions were held by students in the district headquarters by boycotting classes, in pursuance of their above demand.
In a protest held in front of the Town Hall here, the students criticized the chief minister for dropping the plan to issue free passes to students because of the farmers loan waiver scheme undertaken by the government. They claimed that most of the students are children of farmers and therefore urged Kumaraswamy to utilize grants from various departments to finance this scheme. AIDSO general secretary, Ashwini, addressing the protesters, said that although it has been about two months since colleges reopened, the students are still in quandary, duly urging the chief minister to issue passes soon.
Several students leaders claimed that the voluntary bandh of schools and colleges was a roaring success. They stated that the teaching staff too had supported the agitation.
Workers of Students Federation of India handed over a petition to Karntaka State Road Transport Corporation management seeking free passes for students. Before that, the students under SFI banner laid siege to the head office of KSRTC at Shanthinagar here.
In the meanwhile, Karnataka chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy, clarified that he had never said that he would issue free bus passes to students all over the state. Speaking to media representatives in the city on Saturday, he clarified that he had never promised to provide free passes to students, during assembly election campaigning as claimed. He asserted that there is no question of issuing free student passes to all.