BSP protests non-implementation of Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme

Phagwara: Activists of BSP and its frontal organisation Bahujan Students Front, on Tuesday sat on a dharna near the residence of Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Som Parkash protesting against the alleged non-implementation of Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme by some private colleges.

Led by BSP's ex-Punjab General Secretary Jarnail Nangal, the protesters sat on a dharna near the CPS cum local MLA's residence at Urban Estate here raising slogans against him, Punjab government and local administration for not listening to the problem of SC students.

The dharna was preceded by a protest march and the agitators also sported placards against government and colleges.

Addressing the rally, the party leaders including Nangal claimed that Centre had released Rs 468 crore under the scheme in the past but the state government had allegedly diverted the amount to other projects, thus depriving SC students of their due.

They claimed that under this 2007 Centrally-sponsored Scheme, SC students whose parents' annual income were less than Rs 2.5 lakh were to be provided free education.

"But colleges were harassing the students by denying them roll numbers even though Semester examinations were to commence from November 20," the leaders claimed.

Some girl students who took part in the protest alleged that they were denied roll numbers and were thus undergoing great mental disturbance.

SDM Balvir Raj Singh reached the dharna site and told the protesters that he had already convened a meeting of local college Principals tomorrow about the issue.

Following his assurance that written instructions were being sent to colleges for total implementation of the scheme and no colleges would be allowed to harass students on this account the dharna was lifted.