The Central Executive Committee of SFI condemn the attack on M Vijin, SFI Kerala state secretary, Ashitha, Kerala University Union chairperson and other students by the goondas of Vellappally Natesan self-financing Engineering college in Alappuzha. 

 

Arsh, a second-year student hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, attempted to end his life Saturday by hanging himself in the hostel room, after cutting the vein. He survived the attempt as his college mates rushed him to the hospital. Earlier, he had complained about the quality of food being served in the college canteen. It provoked the principal and Arsh was mentally harassed which forced him to think of the extreme step. The student had also written a suicide note citing the torture by the college administration. It is not the first time such harassment is being reported from the same college. The college was run by NDA leader Subhash Vasu. 

 

Protesting against the incident, SFI activists took out a march to the college today. The goondas of the college management started pelting stones at the protesters. Vijin and Ashitha were suffered from injuries at their head. SFI demands strong action against the culprits behind the torture and harassment to the student. We also demand strict and sturdy action to ensure the democratic atmosphere in self-financing colleges. SFI Central Executive Committee appeals to all democratic sections to join in the struggle against the witch-hunt on students by the self-financing colleges and the attack on SFI leaders. 

 

VP Sanu, President               Vikram Singh, General Secretary  

 

The CEC of SFI expresses its profound grief at the sudden demise of a dalit research scholar Muthu Krishnan, who was a first year MPhil student of Centre for Historical Studies, JNU. He was a student of HCU, before coming to JNU and was active in the 'Justice for Rohith' movement.

 

Muthu belonged to a working class family from Salem in Tamil Nadu and he realized his dream of getting admission in JNU through hard work and preservation. He had to do odd jobs in order to sustain himself economically, while seeing his dreams getting crushed four consecutive times.

 

Muthu Krishnan's sad demise has yet again brought to fore the tragic situation of our universities where the demographic assertion of the students from socio-economically deprived sections has met brutal backlash from the caste forces. There is no government data on the number of suicides by Dalit students. However, a compilation by Dalit groups shows that 18 Dalit students committed suicide between 2007-11.

 

NCRB data shows that more than 20 students committed suicide every day in India in the year 2014. Majority of them belong to lower income category. Caste and capital are killing students. They are forcing young lives to such an alienation where life looses its meaning. 

 

The demise of Muthu Krishnan is yet again a sad reminder of the systematic alienation which the students from socio-economically deprived sections face in our universities. The latest policy offensive in the form of regressive UGC notification and insensitivity of the university administrations is creating an environment of unease and anxiety. It is in this background that the demand for 'Rohith Act' against the caste based discrimination came to fore. The BJP government at centre has been ignoring this crucial demand until now.

 

SFI demands that a proper enquiry be undertaken to ascertain the reasons behind the death of Muthu. We express our deep condolences to the family and friends of Muthu, in this moment of grief.

 

We yet again reiterate our resolve to intensify the movement for the Rohith Act.The courageous lives of Muthu and numerous other like him is a pointer for the student movement to overturn this regime of caste and capital. Muthu, your struggles and your dreams will not go in vain!

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West Bengal state committees of SFI & DYFI had jointly called for a Rajbhaban Abhijaan (rally to the Governor's Office) today demanding a corruption-free and transparent procedure in recruitment of the primary Teachers in West Bengal. The rally saw huge mobilization of students & youth from across the state despite heavy rains.

 

The TET results declared by the West Bengal Primary Education Board showed that only 1.07% of those who appeared in the examination have crossed the bar. Though 35,000 posts were reported to be officially vacant, only a small proportion of those who sat in the examination were declared passed. Primarily it was 55 lakhs of people reported to have applied for TET examination. Suddenly it was officially announced that 45 lakhs of applications have been received. Finally it was further announced that just 17, 72,000 thousand people appeared in TET examination where only 18,792 people were qualified in TET. It has come to light that the list was prepared by the ruling party leaders. The so-called ‘analysis’ was done in Trinamool Bhaban in Kolkata. The list contained the names of relatives, close aids of the TMC MLAs, leaders and hardcore TMC activists. This is nothing but a cruel joke on the aspirations and hopes of the educated unemployed youth of West Bengal. State units of SFI & DYFI have been consistently taking up this issue & mobilizing youth & students in thousands.

 

The march started from the college street in afternoon with slogans against irregular recruitments and huge scam involving TMC kingpins reverberating the streets of Kolkata. Rally took form of a road blockade at Dharamtala, as a delegation left to Governor’s office for the schedule appointment. At this juncture, police started indiscriminate lathicharge on the protesters injuring almost 30 activists, who had to be sent to Calcutta medical college. More than 130 activists have been arrested and sent to Lal bazar police lockups. Our comrades have rejected the state's offer for a peaceful bail and have chosen to spend the night at jail only in demand of an unconditional release tomorrow. Amongst those who have been arrested areSFI WB President Madhuja Senroy, SFI CEC members Com. Dhrubajyoti Saha and Soumyajit Rajak, DYFI WB President Sayandeep Mitra and DYFI CEC member Indrajit Ghosh.

 

We extend our revolutionary solidarity with the Comrades of SFI-DYFI struggling at Kolkata today. We would like to remind the autocratic Mamta government of West Bengal that no amount of repression can deter our spirit in carrying forward the movement in defence of the rights of employment of the students & youth of the state. The movement shall continue until victory!

 

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All India girls sub-committee of SFI condemns the obnoxious statement given by Maneka Gandhi, the minister of Women and child development, where she has said that the hostel timing is to protect young girls from their "hormonal outburst". She has gone a step further and said that there should be a Lakshman Rekha for girls who are staying in hostel. Her desperate attempt of sounding progressive by saying men also shouldn't step outside after evening 6, went in vain as it reflects her insensitive understanding about gender and freedom as a whole.

This is a usual patriarchal response to the increasing cases of sexual harassment and crimes against women, wherein the solution is sought to be found in restricting the mobility of women. In fact, over the last two decades as the participation of women has increased in the public sphere, there has been a brutal backlash from the patriarchal forces. The tragic deaths of Dika, Delta and Jisha tell this sordid tale.

 

We would like to underline that it is the responsibility of the state and society as a whole to ensure that women get equal access to public spaces as citizens of this country. We demand a public apology from the honourable minister for making such derogatory remarks. We would like to remind her that she is on the chair for empowering the women, not for shackling women back into their domesticity.

 

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Dipsita Dhar (Convener)

Madhuja Senroy (Co-convener)

Khaddejath Suhaila K (Co- convener)

Manjushree Kabade (Co-convener)