NSUI Stages Massive Protest in Bhubaneswar, Demands Odisha Education Minister’s Resignation
In a scorching summer day, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) took to the streets of Bhubaneswar to protest against the Odisha School and Mass Education Minister, Nityananda Gond. The massive rally, which was attended by thousands of students and Congress workers, was held to demand the minister’s resignation over allegations of textbook errors and irregularities in the state’s education sector.
A Day of Rallies and Scuffles
The protest began with a ‘Chhatra Sankalp Samavesh’ (Students’ Resolve Convention) at Master Canteen Square, where the newly appointed Odisha Chhatra Congress President, Bibhuti Bhusan Mohapatra, was felicitated. The convention was attended by top Congress leaders, including NSUI National President Vinod Jakhar and Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Bhakta Charan Das.
As the rally progressed, the protesters marched towards the Chief Minister’s official residence to stage a gherao. However, they were stopped by the Commissionerate Police at Lower PMG, leading to a scuffle between the Congress workers and the police. Several senior Congress leaders and workers, including OPCC President Das, were detained by the police.
Allegations of Irregularities and Failures
Addressing the gathering, NSUI National President Vinod Jakhar alleged that the Narendra Modi government was “anti-youth” and “anti-student”. He criticized the Centre’s action against students protesting at Jantar Mantar over the deteriorating education system. Jakhar also accused the state government of failing students, highlighting more than 2,000 glaring errors in government textbooks.
OPCC President Bhakta Charan Das claimed that student union elections are not being held in colleges and universities because students in Odisha are not coming out onto the streets to assert their rights. He alleged that students were repeatedly being subjected to injustice and that the state’s education system had collapsed. Das also accused the state government of playing with the future of students.
Shortage of Teachers and Staff
Das claimed that schools, colleges, and universities across the state were functioning with nearly a 50 per cent shortage of teachers, faculty members, and other staff. He accused the state government of shielding the Education Minister, Nityananda Gond, and the Chief Minister, Mohan Charan Majhi, despite repeated demands for their resignation.
A Call for Action
In his address, Das called for a bigger and more impactful protest in Odisha than the one at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. He emphasized that if student power awakens, Odisha will awaken. The rally ended with a promise to continue the fight for better education and justice for students in Odisha.
As the dust settles, one thing is clear: the NSUI has sent a strong message to the Odisha government that it will not tolerate any irregularities or failures in the education sector. The battle for better education and justice for students in Odisha has just begun.