NSUI's flash protest at CM KCR's residence demanding cancellation of exams
Agitated by the Telangana government's decision to conduct annual or end semester examinations for graduate and post-graduate students, activists of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) staged a flash protest outside Pragathi Bhavan, the official residence of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in Hyderabad. The dramatic protest, in which all the NSUI activists were dressed in PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) suits, took place on Wednesday afternoon.
Telangana NSUI has demanded that the state government should promote all the end semester students instead of conducting examiminations amid the COVID19 crisis in the state.
The flash protest came amid reports that the government has decided to conduct the exams later in the month or in the first week of September.
Surprised by student activists suddenly showing up at the Pragati Bhavan gate raising slogans against the government, security personnel tried to bundle them into a police vehicle and detain them. However, students could be seen running along the security fencing even as the police followed them.
#TelanganaNSUI activists in PPE kits protested at CM resi against govt’s decision to conduct exams/finalise dates while a petition pending in HC. Protestors were allege Govt failed to control the #COVID situation in state. #Hyderabad #Congress pic.twitter.com/l79PxP564L
— CharanTeja (@CharanT16) August 12, 2020
Few activists even managed to jump across the security barricade. There was utter chaos in the area for sometime as they continued to raise slogans, before they were finally taken away by police.
Venkat Balamoor NSUI State President who had approached the Telangana High Court earlier, alleged that the government is going ahead with its decision to conduct annual exams and common entrance tests without listening to the concerns of students despite the matter is pending in the High Court.
Venkat said ,"Our protest is against the government's manner in which it wants to deal with students amid the pandemic, if the government doesn't step back we will intensify the movement."
Venkat further said, "The TRS government which utterly failed to arrest the spread of coronavirus, making every attempt to conduct the exams only to risk the students lives."
Speaking to TNM, Abhinay Goud NSUI state general secretary said, "Our protest is against the government's handling of the crisis. Though students can be promoted like the way other states have done, here despite the pandemic threat, the government wants to conduct exams. They should withdrawn the decision to hold exams and promote students."
It is to be noted that states like Kerala held entrance tests for students into engineering courses, but were heavily criticised as they failed to manage crowds.