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Journalism of Courage
NEW DELHI/JAIPUR, Nov 12: He had no 8220;personal agony,8221; says his mother. For, Nishant Bhardwaj, 20, had taken his degree exams in May, got his results last month and had even applied for Rajasthan University8217;s law course. But there were several other students who had been pushed to despair over the delay in the results-of an estimated 100 exams-and it was Nishant who decided to die.
So on Monday, he set himself ablaze with a group of students watching, all waiting for the V I Rajagopal, acting V-C, to listen.
His traumatised father, B L Sharma, who teaches in a Jaipur school, says: 8220;I will not allow my son8217;s death to become a topic of any controversy.8221; Other relatives are too stunned to react. The police hastold them that some students have been arrested and they did not allow Nishant to be taken to the hospital. This has led some relatives to suspect whether Nishant was pushed into taking the final step.
Whatever be the truth, the family says, it wants to be left alone. But Nishant8217;s death has stunned the entire campus which reacted with outrage tonight. While there was no comment from Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat who is away on an election tour, Opposition leaders were quick to rush in. They announced a series of protests in the coming days. With elections less than two weeks away, this is expected to become an issue, especially in urban areas.
Rajasthan Congress chief Ashok Gehlot, when contacted in Chittorgarh, said: 8220;This shows what8217;s wrong with the state government. It is sad that a student had to commit suicide to highlight the Government8217;s attitude towards education.8221;
Former Rajasthan University Students8217; Union chiefs Pratap Singh Khachariawas and Somendra Sharma announced a universitybandh tomorrow. Sharma said that student teams had been deputed to tour Bali and Kota Assembly constituencies to 8220;mobilize public opinion.8221; Bali is Shekhawat8217;s constituency and Higher Education Minister Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi is contesting from Kota.
Several students said that the Government8217;s priorities are twisted. While changing the syllabus had suddenly become an important issue, no one bothered about the rot in the university, they said.
Somendra Sharma said student delegations had met Shekhawat several times but he had 8220;deflected8221; the issue. 8220;He kept telling us to sort it out with the Chancellor.8221; Had the government intervened, this would not have happened, he said.
Former Vice Chancellor V I Rajagopal who resigned following the incident said that the death was 8220;very unfortunate.8221; In a message to Bharadwaj8217;s family, he said: 8220;I feel quite sad, I pray to God for the peace of his soul.8221;
Ranvir Singh Gudha, president of the Shikhsa Bachao Samiti, who is leading the campus agitationagainst the delay in results, said: 8220;The Government8217;s failure to intervene has been responsible for Nishant8217;s death.8221;
State BJP chief Raghubir Singh Kaushal said that the student8217;s death was 8220;most unfortunate.8221;
