Nishar Mohammed & Vikramaditya
Sri Vijaya Puram, Feb 16: Following the successful completion of the island-wide General Call-Off against the proposed Deemed University, Advocate Rakesh Pal Gobind, Co-Convener of the Joint Action Forum Against Deemed University, addressed a press conference on behalf of the forum and expressed gratitude for the overwhelming public support extended to the students.
As per reports, today nearly 90 percent of shops and commercial establishments across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands remained closed voluntarily in solidarity with the students who have been protesting for the past nine days.
Advocate Rakesh Pal Gobind said that the response was visible in almost every corner of the islands including Mayabunder, Diglipur, Kamorta, Nicobar, Campbell Bay, Neil, Havelock, Rangat, Billiground and other islands, reflecting a rare sense of unity among islanders.
He thanked all political parties, social organisations and associations that supported the General Call-Off. He emotionally remarked that the most significant aspect of the movement was the willingness of ordinary citizens to make sacrifices for the future of students whom many of them had never even met personally. He emphasized that the protest has only been temporarily called off and has not ended.
Announcing the next phase of the movement, he said that students will continue peaceful demonstrations every day in front of colleges from 2 PM to 5 PM after attending their classes, until their demands are fulfilled. He further informed that the forum will approach the High Court on behalf of both the union and the students, and the matter will also be taken up with the concerned ministry at the national level.
The Joint Action Forum plans to submit a joint representation to leaders of all political parties and ensure that the issue is raised in the upcoming session of Parliament through their MPs.
Advocate Gobind appealed to the administration to extend at least partial support and consider reviewing the proposal in the interest of the students. He reiterated that the campaign will continue until a satisfactory resolution is achieved.
Earlier, Mr. Rangolal Halder, President of ANTCC, welcomed the gathering and said that the support received from Diglipur to Campbell Bay clearly demonstrated that the people of the islands stand firmly with the students and their cause. He also thanked all political parties and community organisations for their cooperation and participation in the movement.
