Categories
Education

Delhi and Telangana students demand justice for LSR student’s death by suicide

Students hold the government and university authorities accountable for ignoring students from low-income groups during the pandemic, especially the severe financial burden due to delayed scholarships

Image Courtesy: Twitter

Student organisations in New Delhi held a demonstration on November 9, 2020 outside the Department of Science and Technology, to demand justice for the suicide death of a second-year student at Lady Shri Ram College.

The 19-year-old girl died by suicide on November 3 after suffering severe financial stress. In her suicide note, the girl wrote about her delayed scholarship and her concern about her parents’inability to support her educational aspirations due to the financial crisis caused by the pandemic. The college Student Union blamed the university and government authorities for neglecting the plight of many such students requiring fiscal assistance due to online classes.

The LSR Student Union and the Students Federation of India – Delhi (SFI-Delhi) drafted a memorandum that demands the disbursal of pending scholarships as well as compensation to the aggrieved family. They further demanded the resignation of Minister of Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan and asked for a committee that would look into such issues in universities.

Standing outside the government office, Student Union General Secretary Unnimaya said she and protesters would not leave the premises despite the presence of armed police until someone from the department accepts their memorandum.

 

 

All India Democratic Women’s Association member Sonia also attended the event to denounce the government’s role in the girl’s death.

“The government has murdered her. This is not suicide but a murder because the government has always discriminated against the poor. Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao is a mere slogan. She came to Delhi in hopes of a scholarship but the government did not give her the scholarship. A daughter ridden with guilt about her finances died by suicide. We demand the government compensate the family. We demand that the Modi-government punish those responsible for this incident,” she said.

The entire protest outside the Department of Science and Technology may be viewed here:

Meanwhile, members of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) and other SFI members also staged protests in Delhi and parts of Telangana respectively to show their support with the deceased and her family.

 

 

 

Related:

Student organisations call LSR student suicide an institutional murder
LSR Student Union claim institutional and administrative apathy led to student suicide
Ambedkar University Delhi students demand meeting with VC for fee reduction
A letter that should shake our world: Dalit scholar suicide triggers outrage

Exit mobile version