SFI 14th All India Conference to focus on education issues

The 14th All India Conference of Students Federation of India (SFI), to be held in Madurai, Tamilnadu, will focus on issues like commercialisation of higher education, foreign universities bill and university campuses becoming undemocratic spaces, said J. Rajmohan, SFI  Tamil Nadu State secretary.

Addressing a press conference  Com. Rajmohan said that the SFI conference, to be held for the first time in Madurai between September 4 and 7, would focus on various contemporary issues affecting education in India.

The Union Government was taking efforts to dissolve the University Grants Commission, Medical Council of India, All India Council for Technical Education and other councils with a single regulator. This would be inimical to the interests of the weaker sections of the society as it would accelerate commercialisation and privatisation of education.

Despite India being the largest democracy , the university campuses, in recent times, have become undemocratic due to political bias and faulty administration . Citing the case of Madurai Kamaraj University, Com. Rajmohan said that only a democratic set up could provide the much needed conducive atmosphere, where research and education would thrive. “The MKU state of affairs is a bigger social problem. We will seek a greater public support and fight against undemocratic practices,” he said.

Various competitions in connection with the national conference are already under way at various places in the city. A mini marathon was held on Sunday. It would focus on drug abuse. The conference would also focus on the main issue affecting the students in Tamil Nadu – alcoholism. With the mushrooming of government-owned liquor shops in the recent past, students, mostly school goers, had turned alcoholics, said Stalin, State vice-president.

Veteran Marxist leaders like N. Sankaraiah, P. K. Biju and Sitaram Yechury will address a public meeting in Madurai. Economist C. P. Chandrasekhar will participate in a seminar during the four-day conference.

SFI Retains its Red Bastion - Himachal Pradesh University with huge margin

Student Federation of India (SFI) retained it’s stronghold over Himachal Pradesh University campus in Shimla by making a clean sweep in university Elections, polling to which was done held on 23rd August 2012.

SFI polled over 70% votes in the student elections completely routing the other two parties ABVP and NSUI. Despite best efforts of the ABVP and the ruling BJP in the elections, SFI has kept it’s stronghold intact in the elections.

Himachal Pradesh University campus remains a strong hold of the SFI for the past few years and results are an indicator for the oncoming assembly elections.  The Congress’s student wing National Students Union of India (NSUI) candidates — Avtar Singh Hans, Ritu Raj Thakur, Sangeeta and Brij Mohan — ended third in the triangular contest.

For the post of President, Rahul Chauhan of SFI defeated ABVP candidate Dinesh Kumar by a margin of 713 votes. For Vice President post Priyanka Chauhan of SFI defeated ABVP candidate Parul Shukla by a margin of 570 votes. For General Secretary post Vikram Kainth of SFI defeated ABVP candidate Tarun Thakur by a margin of 796 votes.For Joint Secretary post, Amit Kumar of SFI defeated ABVP candidate Naresh Kumar Dasta by a margin of 751 votes.

The SFI also swept the poll at three colleges of Shimla. These are Rajiv Gandhi College, Kotshera, Centre of Excellence, Sanjauli and Rajkiya Kanya Mahavidalaya (RKMV).

Strong Warning to Congress Government against Price Rise

As per the initial calculation around 15 lakh CPI(M) workers in Kerala on Wednesday laid siege to the government secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram and 13 district collectorates across the state against the Centre's 'failure' to check price rise and ensure food security. The state government machinary came to a grinding halt due the dharna. As  the volunteers and protestors were gathered on the spot from early morning 6 am itself, it was very difficult for the employees to reach the office. Office work was being held up.Food Security Scheme has to be guaranteed, price hike has to be reduced, these were few of the demands put forth  by the protestors.

The workers squatted near all the four gates and the roads leading to the Secretariat, making it difficult for the office staff to enter the compound.

Addressing the protestors before the Secretariat, CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said the skyrocketing prices and corruption were the fallout of the liberalisation and globalisation policies vigorously pursued by the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre. Referring to the coal block allocation scam, he alleged that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was "prima facie guilty" in the matter. While the UPA government had been providing largess to corporates, it was cutting down subsidies on food items and fertilisers citing financial crunch, he said. He also criticised the Congress-led UDF government in Kerala for failing to effectively intervene in the market and strengthen the public distribution system.

In Kannur the dharna was inaugurated  by  CPIM PB Member Com. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Another P B Member Com. M A Baby inaugurated the dharna in front of Alappuzha district collectorae. In Kollam by opposition leader and CPIM CC Member Com. V S Achuthanandan inaugurated the meeting. CPIM Central Committee member Com. E P Jayarajan,Com. Paloly Mohammed Kuttya Com. A Vijayaraghavan and Com. Vaikom Viswan inaugurated the Dharna in Trissur, Malappuram, Palakkad and Kottayam respectively. CPIM State Secretariat Members Com. M V Govindan Master, Com. Elamaram Kareem, Com. A K Balan, Com. Baby John, Com. V V Dakshina Moorthi inaugurated the dharnas in Ernakulam, Idukki, Waynad, Pathanamthitta, Kozhikode. The protest held in front of the Kasargod DC office was inaugurated by MP and CPIM CC Member Com.P Karunakaran.