Tejaswi, We the students!

Youth: Isn’t it what powers the world, aren’t we the harbingers of a new era. Students form a large part of this youth. These students sometimes live a thousand miles away from their homes to make their future, their career. What if we, the students, are in danger? Will our elders throw us away or try to save us from danger. What will you do if somebody’s life is in danger? Will you let him die? Will you do everything in your power to save him? What if someone just lets you die? Something like this happened to a student in NIT Kurukshetra.

Tejasvi Arora, student of pre final year of engineering in NIT Kurukshetra, lost his life by drowning in the canal. Apparently he was drunk and was swimming in the canal. He along with his few friends had gone swimming but he never returned. Here’s what happened. Tejaswi goes missing (in the canal) by 04:30 PM. The Director was called around 05:30PM who visited the spot. Divers were called but there was only one diver who refused to go in at night. Rescue operation was postponed to 06:00 AM the next day, but a single diver came around 10:00AM.Students went with the diver (No support staff for diver). His body was found 100 metres downstream in just 5 minutes. Autopsy report revealed that he was alive until 03:00 AM. Shocker isn’t it?

Students are alleging that his life could’ve been saved by timely action of the Director if he would’ve called Army divers from Ambala Cantonment (Ambala – Kurukshetra is 40Km).The students’ feeling were hurt who resorted to a strike. Here were some crackdowns by NIT Administration:-

1. Entire pre-final year (about 800 students) was suspended.

2. Students were ordered to vacate hostels with immediate effect. Even buses were organized for their transit. The process was not successful as media intervened.

3. Students were threatened about their future/degree/exams.

4. Police was stationed around hostels to stop students from coming out to protest.

5. Some students allege that their parents were called and threatened about their future.

In meetings with the authorities, students complain that they were being continuously threatened. Students say that the Director is not concerned about their welfare and has not taken any steps for the same in his tenure. The protest was non-violent demanding resignation of the Director. So much for a protest and the history says itself that the path of mutiny isn’t the easy one.

On September 2^nd,2012 the strike was called off as students bowed to pressure and threats from the NIT Administration after their demands like condolences by director, SAC to be renamed as ”Tejasvi Bhawan”, a portrait, committee  for quick problem resolution ,24Hrs power backup etc. were accepted . Now the strike is off, I want to ask the readers that what do you think? Was this just a temporary one-time event or was it the anger bubbling in the young minds needing a medium to take some form? Is the voice (protest: rallying, taking out marches, silent protest) of students falling on deaf ears? What can you do when you are being exploited and can do nothing about it?  Was the administration responsible? Is this the ‘Anna Effect’? Whom do you think was at fault? Did students take the right course?  Has human life gone so cheap that it’s not worth caring about? These are some questions to be pondered upon? Let me know in the comments.

Tags: Nit Kurukshetra Strike Called Off, NIT Kurukshetra students strike, Nit Kurukshetra Tejasvi, Tejasvi NIT Kurukshetra, Tejaswi Nit Kurukshetra Sep