Kerala Stage Governement Employees’s strike a grand success

Giving a sturdy warning to the United Democratic Front Government, on its plan to implement contributory pension scheme, the government employees and teachers in Kerala have observed a one day strike on Tuesday. Most of the government offices and schools were remain closed today. The service and education sector were totally paralyzed today. State Transport bus services were off the road as the KSRTC workers also joined the strike. More than 80 percent of the total strength of the government employees has participated in the strike. The employees in the state public sector units were also participated. Employees all over the state have participated in rallies in the premises of offices. From Village office to secretariat functioned with skeleton staff. University employees were also participated in the strike. All Municipal and Corporation offices were also seen vacant.

The government has done everything to pull the employees back from the strike. The wage of the day will be cut from the salary of the employees. The campaign unleashed by the government has argued that the employees will be benefited by the participatory pension scheme. Media were also used by the government to withdraw the employees from the strike.
A Sreekumar, Convener of the Federation of State government Employees and teacher organization and leaders of joint action committee have greeted the employees and teachers for participating in the strike and daring the actions of the government.

SFI Victory in Rajastan University Elections

The elections to the students unions of 150 Colleges and 9 Universities were held on 19th August. SFI had contested in 84 colleges and 2 Universities (Rajasthan University, Jaipur and Jainarayan Vyas University, Jodhpur.)SFI registered its victory in the Union of 44 colleges and 1 university. These 44 colleges are in 11 districts of Rajasthan.
 

Comrade Raveender Singh Ranawat

For the first time SFI registered its victory in any university of Rajasthan. In Jainarayan Vyas University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan’s second largest University SFI Presidential candidate Comrade Raveender Singh Ranawat won by a majority of 557 votes. In the Joint Secretary post SFI candidate Comrade Bhawna Solanki defeated her nearest ABVP candidate by a thumping majority of 2180 votes.
 

In Sikar Sri Kalyan College, the biggest one in the state (12000 students) SFI candidates won all the central posts with a huge majority. SFI Presidential candidate Comrade Subhash Jakhar won by a margin of 951 votes. Comrade Sunita won the Vice President post by a margin of 797 votes. The General Secretary and Joint Secretary posts were won by Comrade Rakesh Verma and Comrade Anwar Khan respectively. The margins of victory were 823 and 904 votes.
 

In the districts of Hanumangarh, Sriganganagar and Sikar SFI won in more than 70 % of the colleges.
 

It is to be noted that SFI had been in the forefront of struggles for restoration of Students union elections during the BJP rule in the state. Basundhara Raje government had banned the student’s union elections after coming to power. The struggle had to be continued in the Congress period also. Though Ashoke Gehlot, the Congress Chief Ministerial candidate had promised to restore student union elections in reality it did not happen. The Congress government was in a denial mode and not ready to restore the union elections after coming to power in the last assembly elections. SFI spearheaded a militant struggle against the Congress government for restoration of democratic rights of the student community throughout the state. Ultimately the union elections were restored two years ago. It is significant that SFI had won in the Jodhpur University where Ashoke Gehlot was once a student leader. He also represents the Jodhpur assembly constituency.
 

The Central Executive Committee of the Students’ Federation of India congratulates the common students of Rajasthan and also the SFI Unit there for its impressive performance in the students union elections held recently.  The victory in Rajasthan is an inspiration for the entire rank and file of SFI and will strengthen the country wide struggle of the student community for democratic rights.