People's Democracy

STUDENT’S SUICIDE

Massive Protest Against UDF Govt Policies 

MIRRORING the sad state of affairs under the reformist chief minister A K Antony's rule, Rajani, a student pursuing engineering course under self-finance quota, committed suicide on July 22 after her persistent efforts to secure a loan to continue her education failed. The issue rocked the state of Kerala with students pouring out spontaneously in protest of the UDF government's rampant commercialisation of education. At the time of going to press, these protests were continuing and intensifying. The CPI(M) state secretariat while reiterating its opposition to the government's neo-liberal policies, has asked all its units to lend full support to the agitation of the students.

Rajani, a computer engineering student of the College of Engineering, Adoor, run by the Institute of Human Resources Development in Electronics, hailed from Vellarada in Thiruvananthapuram district. She committed suicide by jumping from the seven-storeyed Housing Board building in the capital, which also houses the office of the Commissioner of Entrance Examination.  Rajani reportedly knocked every door, from that of the branch of a nationalised bank to that of moneylenders, for help to continue her studies. Meanwhile, the Mary Matha College of Engineering and Technology near her home offered to allow her to study free of cost in the institution. But the authorities of the Adoor Engineering College reportedly refused to issue the transfer certificate without her clearing her dues. She ended her life in desperation on refusal of a loan from a nationalised bank. She came from a very poor family but had done very well academically in all earlier examinations.

The students belonging to the SFI and others took out a rally in protest against the policy of the Congress (I)-led UDF government which led to this suicide. The rally was attacked by the police. The SFI-led demonstrators braving this attack went inside the secretariat building and sat in dharna in the Durbar Hall. Here they were much more brutally attacked and removed by the police, which used tear gas. The media persons covering this demonstration were also attacked by the police. 

Two CPI(M) MLAs who went to the scene to try to restore peace also received lathi blows from the police.  The enraged students also hit back with whatever they could lay their hands on. Three official vehicles were burnt and the local branch of the bank that refused a loan to Rajani had also bear the brunt of the protesting students.  The police also attacked protest demonstrations at Palakkad, Ernakulam and other districts.

The SFI called for a statewide education bandh on July 26 demanding that the loopholes in the law for control of the self-financing professional colleges be plugged immediately and criminal action launched against those responsible for Rajani's suicide.

JUDICIAL ENQUIRY

Under heavy compulsion of the agitation of students outside, and focused criticism and uproar of the opposition within the assembly, the Antony government  agreed to institute a judicial enquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court on the issues related to the suicide of Rajani.

But the opposition demanded that the ministers of education and SC/ST welfare must resign taking responsibility for the incident. The opposition wanted the ministers not to be in office during the period of enquiry. When the government refused, the entire opposition MLAs staged a walk out from the House and held a dharna before the legislature building. The leaders of opposition also strongly criticised the police action against students at various places in the state. It was also pointed out that the ministers and Congress (I) MLAs were cruelly attempting to tarnish the character of the poor student.

The statewide education bandh called by the SFI on July 26 evoked good response from the students who staged demonstrations at all district centres against the state government's education policies. The police lathicharged the students at Pathanamthitta three times and openly threatened students against holding dharnas. The students completely ignored these threats.

The CPI(M) state secretariat in a statement on July 23 asserted that the agitation against the educational policy of the UDF government will continue with added force, as these policies were alienating the poor students from the fundamental right to have education. The CPI(M) warned the government that it could not defeat the agitation by resorting to police repression. The secretariat also called upon all its units to afford all help and support to students in the field of agitation.

Meanwhile, youth organisations affiliated to the Left parties announced their decision to form local committees resist the working of self-financing colleges, which are refusing to accept fees at government rate for the 50 per cent quota of students on merit. The youth organisations will hold united demonstrations to popularise this programme on August 3. United demonstrations will also be held at all panchayat centres on August 5. They are raising the demands of review of self-financing college scheme, compensation to the family of Rajani etc.