Rahul slams Maya for banning student polls
Amethi
(UP),
Sep
20:
Amethi
MP
Rahul
Gandhi
today
said
the
decision
of
the
Mayawati
government
to
ban
students'
union
polls
in
Uttar
Pradesh
had
snatched
away
democratic
rights
of
the
people.
Mr Gandhi's criticism of the policies of the newly sworn in Mayawati government in UP came in a brief interaction with newspersons at the Munshiganj guest house here.
The scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family said no government had the right to snatch away democratic rights of the people.
The Amethi MP is cutting short his four-day visit to his constituency by a day and is likely to leave for the national capital this evening.
Earlier, he interacted with locals at the guest house where he promised to solve the water crisis being faced by the people of Gauriganj.
On September 7, Chief Minister Mayawati had banned students' union elections in all the universities and degree colleges of the state with immediate effect, saying the step had been taken to improve the academic environment and regularise the academic session.
A government order issued by state principal secretary (Higher Education) R K Mittal apprised Vice-Chancellors of all the state universities, including private universities, and the Director of Higher Education in Allahabad of the Chief Minister's decision.
Defending the move, Ms Mayawati in a statement had said the student union polls disrupt studies in the universities as a result of which sincere students have to face several problems. Besides, the elections also create law and order problems which spoil the atmosphere in neighbouring areas, the statement added.
Touching upon the controversial Sethusamudram issue, Mr Gandhi said he would abide by the decision of the Congress and party president Sonia Gandhi.
UNI