TIA NEWS
PATNA: Sixty Dalit students from Bihar studying at Rajdhani Engineering College (REC), Bhubaneswar, threatened to committ sucide due to the negligence of SC/ST welfare department of the Bihar government.
“We have decided to commit suicide because our future is at stake due to the negligence of SC/ST welfare department of the Bihar government,” said one of the students, adding that the college principal has asked them to return only when all their dues are cleared. According to a joint press release signed by four students of REC — Loknath Kumar, Gajendra Kumar, Mukesh Kumar and Ujjawal Kumar — the college that falls under Biju Patnaik Technical University provided them free education, boarding and lodging for more than a year. “In 2015, Bihar government did not send stipend to the college,” said the joint press release.
They were forced to leave the college and their respective hostels on January 8 after the Bihar government allegedly failed to pay their stipend despite repeated requests by the college administration. These second-year students have threatened to commit suicide if the government failed to come to their rescue.
The 60 dalit students — 18 from East Champaran and 42 from West Champaran — secured admission in the college in 2014 under the state government’s Dalit Stipend Scheme. They alleged that the Bihar government had last paid the stipend to the college one-and-a-half-year ago.
Nagbansi, on his part, said he had sent the list of 18 Dalit students of East Champaran who are studying at REC, Bhubaneswar, to the SC/ST welfare department on June 6, 2015, urging it to transfer the stipend to the college. He said the SC/ST welfare department is authorized to send the stipend of Dalit students to their respective colleges. “The district welfare department only examines the college records and documents of the students,” Nagbansi added.
Principal secretary of SC/ST welfare department SM Raju said the government usually makes no delay in sending the stipend of Dalit students to their respective colleges in other states. “If REC, Bhubaneswar, has forced the students to leave college, we will look into the matter,” he added.
“The principal secretary has assured us that the money would be sent soon,” a visibly concerned Ram said.