Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the moment you hear the name of this place, people think of a tourist destination, beach, peace, beauty. But since last few months the youth of these islands are suffering from injustice.
The only engineering college in Port Blair, Dr BR Ambedkar Institute of Technology, has lost its affiliation from Pondicherry University. Since the last three years, not a single exam has been conducted. The principal of the college, Dr Utpal Sharma, has been found unqualified for the position, but he still remains unchanged.
Students do not know if they will ever get a degree or not. Most of these students belong to low and middle income families of remote islands; their parents do not have the connections or money to send them to study in the mainland.
The students wrote letters to Chief Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar islands, protested in front of the secretariat overnight, but they were always sent off.
Once the Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry University came to Port Blair. He met the students and assured that exams would be conducted. But later, the students came to know that all these exam results will be declared based on the result of the ongoing court case regarding this matter.
The students are left with nothing so they were protesting two days ago, but they were illegally detained. Water cannons and even tear gas was used upon them to suppress their voice. Many students have been admitted to the hospital with broken bones, lacerations, abrasion, and more importantly, mental trauma.
Because of the lack of mainstream media reporters in the islands, the news of DBRAIT student is not known nationwide.
— Abdul Nazeer (@iam_abdulnazeer) September 28, 2022
The way students are treated is disheartening ?
They are not criminals, they are students. @ndtv @BeechBazar @TheQuint @YouthKiAwaaz pic.twitter.com/PyQVBxDbuo
All students are suffering from anxiety, depression, lack of sleep. Is this something a 19-20 year old should be suffering from? Where have we gone wrong? Where is the humanity? Where is empathy?
All the islanders have written letters to various ministers, political leaders and leading journalists. Very few news channels have shown a bit of these atrocities on their channels. But this is not enough! The islanders are as much Indian and anyone from Delhi or Gujarat. We need support in this crisis.
– Dr Neha Biji,
A proud islander, Andaman & Nicobar