AP threatens college closure over fee issue

The state government on Monday warned that professional colleges would face closure if they harass students over the non-payment of fees which has to be reimbursed by the government.

The managements of professional colleges hit back at the government , calling it “shameless” for issuing such threats when it owed them Rs 2,000 crore. They alleged that it was trying to scrap the scheme after gaining political mileage from last year’s Assembly elections.

The college managements have also refuted the government’s claim that it has released Rs 500 crore and alleged that the funds were diverted to other schemes.

“The government’s claim that it released Rs 500 crore so far is totally false. We have not received a single paisa. It has diverted the funds meant for students to Jalayagnam contractors. It has no sincerity or sympathy towards poor students,” said Mr N. Ramesh, representative of Consortium of Engineering Colleges Managements Association.

Meanwhile, the BJP state president, Mr G. Kishen Reddy, began a fast-unto-death demanding that the government release funds. However, the police took him into preventive custody and shifted him to Gandhi Hospital.

The Backward Classes leader, Mr R. Krishnaiah, is continuing his fast.

The higher education minister, Mr D. Sridhar Babu and the technical education minister, Mr M. Venkatarama, said the government would take stringent action against professional colleges if students are denied hall tickets for exams or for attendance.

“Every eligible student’s fees will be reimbursed even if it runs into hundreds of crores. The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, has made a promise in this regard and there is no need to worry,” Mr Sridhar Babu said.

He said the fast undertaken by the two political leaders is more of a “political game”. The Telugu Desam, too, is trying to take political advantage of the situation, the minister alleged.