'Odisha govt murdering our democratic rights': Student Congress vents 'poll cancellation' ire at Minister

Protesting against the Odisha government’s decision to cancel students' union elections in state universities and degree colleges, the student's wing of Odisha Congress on Thursday gheraoed Higher Education Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak’s residence and hurled eggs.

The agitating students strongly protested against the move and warned the state government to revisit the decision. National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of Congress, burnt the letter in protest and warned that it would protest in all the colleges if the government didn’t withdraw its decision regarding the cancellation of the students’ union elections.

“Our only demand is that the government should roll back its decision of cancelling students’ union elections and take proper decision. Otherwise, we will stage protests across the state in the coming days. We will follow the Chief Minister and the Higher Education Minister everywhere if our demands are not fulfilled,” said a student leader.

“If required, we will be forced to lock the minister at his residence. We will not allow him to go anywhere. Our question is why is the Odisha government keen on murdering our democratic rights and playing with our future?” he added.

“As per the intelligence report, the BJD will be wiped off the state if they conduct the students’ election. The downfall of BJD will start because they have done nothing for the students till now. So, they are afraid and opting for such cheap tricks to stop students’ elections,” the student leader added.

The angry students demanded the state government to announce the election dates immediately, failing which they would call for a state-wide protest.

Worth mentioning, the agitation started after the Common Academic Calendar for the academic session 2023-24 by the Higher Education Department was released yesterday in which there is no mention of the students’ union elections.

The campus elections have not taken place in the state since 2018.