Odisha Chhatra Congress slams BJD for ‘converting college campuses into party offices’

Odisha Chhatra Congress alleged that the ruling BJD is converting various college campuses across the State into their party offices by putting up posters with photographs of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

In protest against the move, members of the students’ wing of the Congress have covered the posters with photographs of great freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Gopabandhu Das, and Subhas Chandra Bose.

As per Odisha Chhatra Congress members, BJD is ruining the academic environment of colleges across the State by resorting to political campaigning. Moreover, the party members staged a protest at Maharshi College in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. They also shouted slogans against the ruling party against the development.

State Chhatra Congress leaders demanded the filling up of the vacant posts of lecturers in the higher educational institutions of Odisha. They also raised questions over the cancellation of students’ union elections in the State.

“Despite ruling Odisha for more than 23 years, the Naveen Patnaik-led government has done nothing for the development of the students in the State. Many posts are lying vacant in almost all the colleges. In the name of Juba Odisha Nabin Odisha, they are manipulating youths for vote bank politics. Odisha Chhatra Congress is strongly protesting the move,” said a Chhatra Congress leader.

“In the time of election, Naveen Patnaik government is trying to cheat the youths by starting new schemes. If they are really interested in the development of students and youth, they should waive their educational fees. Moreover, they should provide scholarships of Rs 7,000 to all graduate and post-graduate students. As long as the BJD government has not worked for the development of the students in the State, we will cover Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s posters with the photographs of our great freedom fighters who have immensely contributed to the betterment of Odisha,” said another Chhatra Congress leader.

No comments have been received from the BJD.