Beti bachao, beti padhao sounds farcical: AASU

Statewide protest against move to close down women's university

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, March 28: The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has said that the beti bachao, beti padhao slogan sounds farcical in Assam with the State Government’s move to close down the only women’s university of the Northeast located in Jorhat.     

The premier students’ body registered its protest in all district headquarters in the State in support of its demand for protecting Assam Women’s University. The students’ body also cautioned Dispur not to misjudge the dignity of the State associated with its only women’s university.

In a statement issued to the press on Wednesday, AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi said: “The move being taken by the State Government on the region’s only women’s university reeks of Tughlaq’s policy. The State Government established the university by ecting an Act. The governments at the Centre and in the State claim that there’s good governce in the country. Is closing down a university a sign of good governce? The Chief Minister and the Education Minister of Assam have made the slogan – beti bachao, beti padhao – a farce. If the government is willing to set up a technical institute in the State, that should be under Assam Women’s University, not by abolishing it. We’re not ready to accept such a decision of the government.” ASSU president Dipanko Kumar th, on the other hand, said: “The State Government should prove its efficiency by fully developing the women’s university in the State, instead of closing it down. The government should appoint a permanent vice chancellor to the university. We don’t want any assurance from the government on this front. What we want is action.”                  

Meanwhile, the students’ body has decided to send as many as one lakh letters in this regard to the Prime Minister, besides sending such letters to all members of parliament. At Dighalipukhuripar in Guwahati the All Guwahati Students’ Union, the All Kamrup District Students’ Union, the Sadou Guwhati Mahakuma Chatra Santha and the Sadou Rangiya Mahakuma Chatra Santha staged demonstrations on Wednesday under the banner of the AASU.