Allahabad University students get political backing against fee hike

The 400 per cent hike in fees by the Allahabad University (AU) is now earning massive political support for students agitating on the issue and demanding a rollback.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has back the agitating students and said that this was yet another example of the anti-youth policies of the BJP government.

Calling student unions a "primary part of democracy", Akhilesh said the university's treatment of the protesting students "is a symbol of hopelessness from the BJP government".

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has also supported the students' demand and said that the government should immediately rollback the hike.

Students from various courses gathered on the campus, shouted slogans against the university administration and demanded rollback of the fees hike on Monday.

The Executive Council, AU's top-most decision-making body, approved the proposal of hiking the fees of different courses on August 31.

Students, since then, have been on the warpath.

Harendra Yadav, one of the protesting students, said" "We have been protesting for 10 days and are on a fast unto death for seven days. Five students have been hospitalised after their health deteriorated. Yet we have not got any positive response from the university administration. This shows the university's callous attitude."

The students fear that the decision will rob many students from the disadvantaged socio-economic background, belonging to eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, of the opportunity to study at AU.

"Fees have been increased by up to four times despite the majority of students belonging to families of farm labourers and marginal farmers," Harendra Yadav alleged.