TMC workers block Tripura Assembly gate over state govt's not sponsoring of SC, ST, OBC candidates

Agartala, (Tripura), Sept 26 (ANI): The Trinamool Congress Students wing blocked the entry gate of the Tripura Legislative Assembly, asking the state government to rescind its decision of not sponsoring SC, ST, OBC candidates this that were selected earlier in BSc (nursing) and GNM courses outside the state. A list of 348 candidates belonging to SC, ST and OBC category were selected earlier in the admission process for nursing courses under total financial support scheme of the union government. Hitting out the state government TMC student leader Vikky Prashad said, "Good colleges have to be selected so that the 348 students of this state who were earlier selected for GNM and nursing outside the state can get admitted. We are protesting against the state government's anti student decision not to sponsor any students this time and we have raised our voice in a democratic manner in front of the assembly as the session is on." "The dishonest government back by the CPIM had conducted the corruption and for which the students should not suffer and so we as a responsible student organisation is making our demand clear that the students have to be sent outside for admission in nursing and GNM. Moreover, the corrupt persons involved in this issue have to be identified and punished," he added. Prashad further said that, "Opposition party TMC's leader Sudip Roy Barman visited and assured that he will raise the issue in the floor of the assembly and so we are withdrawing, however, we want that the government does not take lightly with the future of the students and make arrangement for admission of all 348 students or we go for bigger agitation." However, a week back the state cabinet following allegations brought by TMC MLA Sudip Roy Barman of large-scale corruption in selecting of these colleges for enrolling the ST, SC and OBC student, decided to cancel the sponsorship this year. The government has said that it had received reports of infrastructure shortage in the shortlisted colleges where the students were supposed to get admitted for BSc (nursing) and GNM courses and hence decided to cancel the programme this year. It also added that there will be no prohibition for students going outside the state this time in these courses and rather ensure admission of nursing students in the best colleges as per norms next year. (ANI)