Guwahati: Several organisations on Monday held a protest in the Chachal area, expressing solidarity with education reformer and activist Sonam Wangchuk and raising demands to improve the education system of the country.The protest was attended by members of Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP), Raijor Dal, Assam Civil Society, Chatra Mukti Sangram Samiti, CPI groups and the All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC), among others.AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi, who was present at the protest, expressed support for students demonstrating over an alleged examination paper leak, calling it a serious issue. He alleged that such incidents occurred repeatedly under the present govt and criticised its handling of the protests.“Peaceful democratic protest is a constitutional right. But the way the govt is using the police and administration to impose suppression policies on protestors is extremely disrespectful and undemocratic,” Gogoi said in a social media post. “A govt that cannot face the reasoned arguments of its own citizens resorts to using the police as a shield. This policy of repression must end immediately. Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan must accept moral responsibility for the examination paper leak nexus and resign from his post,” he added.Chatra Mukti Sangram Samiti announced an indefinite agitation demanding the resignation of Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu, calling him ‘inefficient’ and ‘failed’. The organisation said it would continue its movement to protect Assam’s public schools, colleges and universities.Citing the latest UDISE+ report, the organisation’s president Papu Dutta said Assam’s secondary school dropout rate is 14.3%, higher than the national average of 9.5%, making it the fifth-highest in the country. He alleged that the closure and merger of schools forced students in remote areas to travel 8–10 km to attend school, leading to dropouts due to transportation difficulties.“The govt must stop using financial constraints as an excuse to compromise students’ education and health. Only by modernising infrastructure and improving the quality of govt schools can the Right to Education Act be implemented in its true spirit and public confidence in the govt education system be restored,” Dutta said.
The protest in the Chachal area of city on Monday
