Students, alumni join hands in protest

ANAND, April 1: A section of students and alumni of the D N High School here have been on a relay hunger strike since March 29 demanding ...

ANAND, April 1: A section of students and alumni of the D N High School here have been on a relay hunger strike since March 29 demanding the resignation of the secretary of the Charotar Education Trust, which runs the school. The strike was preceded by a rally in Anand town and the submission of a 16-point list of allegations against the secretary to District Collector K N Bhatt.

The students have threatened to go on a fast-unto-death if their demand is not met by Friday evening.

Alleging that they had been forced by Trust secretary D K Patel8217;s 8220;corrupt and high-handed ways8221; to agitate, Nipul Patel, who is spearheading the stir, claimed the secretary forced admission-seekers to give donations and encouraged students to take tuitions. Moreover, alleged the students, the fees were too high in view of the poor facilities. They claimed that funds, too, were being misappropriated.

Alleging that D K Patel habitually abused students and teachers over trivial matters, a student reluctant to be identified said, 8220;Even class X students are not spared.8221;

The agitation seems to have received the support of local MLA and state minister Dilip M Patel, who visited the fasting students.

While D K Patel could not be contacted despite repeated efforts, trust chairman Harish Patel said the charity commissioner was investigating the complaints of financial irregularities.

Dismissing the charges, however, he added, 8220;Last year we spent Rs 2.5 crores on the development of our 14 institutions, from the kindergarten to the graduate level, that too without Government aid. If funds were misappropriated this would not be possible. But if the charges against him are proved, the secretary will resign.8221;

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While describing the D N School issue as 8220;an internal management problem8221;, Bhatt said he had asked the district education officer to look into it and report to him within a week. The report will be then submitted to the Secondary Education Board.

According to the collector, the fracas in the school began with the non-issue of examination fee receipts to some students, as a result of which they could not appear for their boards. The matter took a turn for the worse when the elderly school principal was severely assaulted in his house by a group of miscreants. Three persons, including Nipul Patel, were arrested in the connection.

The miscreants also beat up D K Patel8217;s brother, which case is still under investigation.

According to sources, the episode is the outcome of personal rivalry between D K Patel and some local leaders and that the students are merely tools.