On the outskirts of the city of Ahmedabad, students gathered for a rally against the state government’s “education plan” that they said is forcing students to work on construction sites.
The students also rallied against the decision to shut down schools and colleges for four months, saying that the government’s decision to shutter schools and universities was discriminatory and hurt their rights to education.
“We want the government to be honest and explain to the people why they’re doing it.
We don’t want to hear that we are being exploited.
We want the state to come clean,” said Karim Javed, one of the students in the rally.
The government has been targeting the Gujaratis’ education plan since February last year, when it decided to shut four public colleges and shut down the universities for four days to help it close a deficit of Rs. 1,900 crore, which was made up of the loss of the state’s gross state product (GSP) from 2014 to 2019.
The government said that it would allow private sector colleges and universities to reopen as long as they provide adequate facilities and pay dues to the government.
The move has been criticized by the students and their teachers, who have complained that the state had been neglecting to pay salaries and promised subsidies for the students.
In a meeting with state chief minister Narendra Modi on Monday, the students also urged the government not to resort to such tactics, saying they would fight the decision.
The students were led by former Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Dabholkar, who was elected as the chief minister in February this year.
He is also a prominent leader in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
The protest is being held on behalf of the Students’ Union of India (SUI) and the Centre for Students’ Development (CSDS).
The students are also demanding that the states education minister, Manoj Kumar, resign.
“The government is trying to close down schools because they don’t have any funds to pay the salaries of teachers and students,” said Kamal Ahmed, one a teacher from Ahmedabad.
“If they want to shut schools, they can.
But the education plan should be implemented and the government should have a plan.
We have a right to education.”
The government had earlier announced the closure of two schools and the closure for four more.
Students say they are demanding that these schools be reopened.
They have also asked the government, in return, to open up more schools in their area.
