Peasant leader Akhil Gogoi today threw his support behind the agitating students of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) protesting against the withdrawal of scholarships.
"We have full support for your agitation. KMSS will always be with you. Our cadres, farmers and general people will always be with you in all your protests," said Gogoi, the Adviser to the farmers organisation Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS).
Addressing a gathering during a Citizen's meet against privatisation of education and withdrawal of scholarships to SC, ST and OBC scholars at TISS, Gogoi said the entire education system is slowly being controlled by the corporates.
"KMSS tries to prevent capitalism and build a socialist system. In the current scenario, development has completely stopped and to divert the peoples' attention, communal tension are being created like eating of beef," the RTI activist said.
Speaking on the occasion, noted educationist and intellectual Hiren Gohain said the Indian Education Commission under the Chairmanship of D S Kothari had recommended in 1966 that six per cent of the GDP should be spent on education, but it has not been done even after 50 years of the report.
"The highest we achieved was in 2011-12 with just 3.3 per cent. It is about social justice to provide opportunity to everyone to the best of ability. This has been brushed aside by the new rulers of the country. The basic principle of the Constitution of equality is now being reversed," he added.
Slamming the government's decision to withdraw aid, the former Gauhati University Professor Gohain said educational institutes have been turned into business enterprises.
He also attacked the government's appointment policy.
Former Principal of B Barooah College Dinesh Baishya said stopping of scholarship in TISS was "arbitrary, undemocratic, illegal and unethical".
"Students took admission after getting the scholarships. If now MHRD stops the financial support in between their course without consulting teachers and students, how will one manage? We are planning for an all India students convention in Guwahati in coming days to highlight the Centre's anti- student policies," he added.
The students of all the campuses of TISS have been protesting since February 21 against the administration demanding tuition, dining hall and hostel fees for scholarship students.
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