Shedding their more aggressive and at times violent protests in the past, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) is planning a novel protest to draw attention to the perennial problem of the transportation woes of students. Once their participation in the comprehensive pre-monsoon cleanliness drive planned in the district on June 5 is over, the SFI plans to operate a free students-only bus journey called ‘ Sauhrudha Yatra ’ between Ernakulam and Aluva. It may be held before June 10.
“Usually we stop buses in their tracks whenever students complain of rude behaviour by bus workers. But this time we have decided to tread a different path. We will hold the service for a day for sure. Whether it can be run as a week-long programme will be decided based on the financial implications,” SFI district secretary V.M. Junaid Said.
The organisation proposes to run the service using a rented KSRTC bus for which they are planning to approach the Aluva depot of the public sector major. Formalities, including the rent, need to be worked out. Funds will be mobilised through donations from the public.
Parallel to the proposed bus journey, the SFI area committees concerned will conduct an awareness campaign by deploying squads of five members each at prominent points along the route like Vyttila Hub, Kaloor, High Court Junction, etc. They will collect information about the transportation rights of students through Right to Information petitions and circulate it among the public.
A flurry of complaints from various parts of the district prompted the organisation to think of the innovative method. For instance, a petition received by the organisation from Kothamangalam alleged that some private buses let students in only three minutes before the start of the service till which time only passengers travelling on full fare are permitted entry. The proposed bus journey aims at drawing attention to such injustice meted out to students.
“We are contemplating whether a similar programme could be conducted in more places in the district by pooling together resources,” Mr. Junaid said.
News : The Hindu
