Archive for May, 2007
US briefs the media on latest campaign
Thursday, May 31st, 2007United Students briefed the media on thursday, 31st May 2007 about our latest campaign for rationalization of transport costs for Delhi University students which will run in conjunction with our annual “new admits mentorship programme” from the 1st - 15th June 2007 to help admission seekers at the university.
United Students start campaign to seek rationalization of transport costs for students : travel costs in a month equivalent to a year’s fees, say group members.
New Delhi , 31st May, 2007 : Members of United Students, the group that initiated the campaign against caste-based reservations last year and organized a new student’s union to fight the DUSU elections has today kicked off a campaign to highlight the abnormal costs of travel borne by University students.”When the cost of travel per month begins to equal your annual fees, you know that there is something seriously wrong at a policy level,” said Aaditya Dar, Chief Coordinator of the group.United Student volunteers will start a signature campaign to make admission-seekers aware of what their real expenses will be once they join college and secure the support of parents who will be accompanying them during the admission process. Group will run a campaign coinciding with its admissions mentorship programme for new admission seekers.
“US members will run this campaign along with their annual campaign to help admission seekers with information, insight and assistance during the admission process,” said Dar
Ritwik Agrawal, a member and student of Hindu College said, “We have done an analysis of approximate cost of traveL to and from Delhi University for students and we find that for some students living in areas like Dwarka, just the Metro cost is a stupendous Rs. 42 per day. Add to that the auto or cycle rickshaw costs, the DTC Pass and other transfer costs and we have a monthly bill touching Rs. 3000 per month in some cases.”
Nikhita Arora, another member and student of Kirori Mal College said, “We had petitioned the DMRC Chairman to rationalize the Metro fares for students but he summarily rejected our plaint. Similarly, a letter to the Transport Minister of Delhi for augmentation of University Specials and a special shuttle service in North and South campus has gone unanswered”.
The recent indications that the DTC Pass will also cost more has got the students body up in arms. “Everywhere else in the world students are subsidized to the extent that they can move about freely – this is the only instance in the world where the transport and conveyance costs more than the fees for an education,” said Ishaan Wadhwa, a student of Venkateshwara College in South Campus.
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For more information, please contact Ritwik Agrawal on 9873554908 or at ritwik@unitedstudents.in
And they say reservations don’t divide society
Wednesday, May 30th, 2007Gurjars on Warpath, 16 Killed
At least 16 people were killed and over a hundred injured when the police opened fire in two districts of Rajasthan on Tuesday to disperse violent mobs of Gurjars demanding their community’s inclusion in the list of scheduled tribes (ST). The army was deployed in Dausa, Bundi and some other places to restore order.
Nine people, including two policemen, were killed near Patoli in Dausa on the Jaipur-Agra national highway; seven deaths were reported from Bundi, about 250 km from Jaipur.
State home minister Gulab Chand Kataria said, “Six civilians and two policemen died in Dausa. The identity of one more person, whose body is not being released by the protesters, is not known. Six villagers and one policemen died in Bundi. There is no information about the four policemen who were abducted by the crowd.”
In response to a call given by the Gurjar Sangharsh Samiti to block highways, thousands of Gurjars broke prohibitory orders in Jaipur, Dausa, Tonk, Sawai Madhopur, Karauli and Bundi districts and clashed with the police. The Gurjars, currently part of the other backward classes, have been demanding their inclusion in the ST list for several years.
In Dausa, 70 km from Jaipur, several thousand Gurjars blocked the Jaipur-Agra highway. The police fired tear-gas shells when the mob surrounded them and started throwing stones. Unable to check them, the police opened fire, killing six people on the spot. Several others were injured. Kataria said, “The police had to open fire after the agitated crowd became violent and started dragging away policemen.”
The protesters then burnt down every police picket in sight. Several entered the nearby Sikandara police station and set it on fire, killing two constables.
Outnumbered, the policemen ran for cover but many could not escape. Kataria said, “The crowd hacked the limbs of unarmed constables.”
After chasing the police away, the protesters placed the bodies on the road. Ambulances and police vehicles rushing the injured to hospitals in Dausa and Jaipur were attacked and not allowed to pass. In Bundi, thousands of Gurjars gathered at the Dev Narayan Temple on the Kota-Jaipur highway and later pelted the police with stones from the surrounding hills. Six people died after the police opened fire to control the mob. Kataria said, “One constable was killed by the crowd and another is in a serious condition.”
Sources said the protesters abducted four policemen and took them inside the temple. Kataria said over 300 persons were arrested across Rajasthan in connection with the violence.
Sachin Pilot, the MP from Dausa, likened the police action to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Demanding the Vasundhara Raje government’s resignation, Pilot said he would go to Delhi on Wednesday to seek central intervention and the imposition of President’s rule.
In Delhi, the Centre decided to send over 2,000 paramilitary force personnel to the trouble-torn districts to assist the police in restoring peace.
(Source: Hindustan Times | link)
US looking for Volunteers for DU Admissions
Friday, May 25th, 2007UNITED STUDENTS is looking for volunteers to help out admission-seekers to Delhi University from the 1st-15th June [not necessary for everybody to work every single day, obviously]. US conducted such a campaign last year as well, which was a great success.
Here are the details:
1. We shall be offering admission related help, from the 1st to 15th of June [no sundays], at the admission centres notified by DU.
2. Timings: 10-AM to 1PM.
3. Volunteer responsibilities would include handing out information leaflets[provided by US], answering simple OMR-form related questions, basic course and college details etc. Basically, any second year student can easily handle the responsibilities. Senior US members would be at hand to help, whenever required.
Volunteers would be given certificates by People’s Action.
For registering yourself, please contact [as soon as possible] Nikhita at 9818318359 or nikhita_arora@yahoo.co.in