students have demanded central status to SU once again

Students of western Orissa have decided to bring out a massive agitation demanding central status to Smabalpur University in a convention held at university campus on Tuesday. Nearly 500 student leaders and representatives of various colleges of the region have taken part in the convention and criticized the state government for its apathetic attitude on poor infrastructure and educational facilities of region. The students’ convention, organized under the leadership of the University students’ union has formed one 11-member action committee to decide the future course of action of the proposed agitation.

“We have decided to bring a massive agitation in western Orissa in support of the demand of giving central status to Smabalpur University. We know this is a long pending demand and state government has already agreed on principle to confer central status to this University and sent recommendation to the central government. But due to the apathetic attitude of the government the same is yet to materialize”, the president of the University students’ union Padmanav Mishra told

“Unless we agitate on this issue strongly it becomes difficult for us to achieve the goal”, Mishra appealed while addressing the students.

Sources said, Sambalpur University is one of the best universities of the country having total 180 colleges affiliated under it. Established in the 1964, it is the only university of the state that covers largest area of 11 districts of the region. BJD government led Naveen Patnaik wrote the central government recommending the justification behind the demand. Again in 2008 demand of giving central university status to Sambalpur University was made by the students and teachers following the declaration of the central government to establish a central university in Orissa. But the said was established in Koraput.

Former legislature and university employees (4th grade) association president Bal Gopal Mishra criticized the government for making divide and rule policy with the people of western Orissa. “Whether it is establishment of high court bench or head office of WODC, the state government plays a divide and rule policy with the people. So unless we stand unite it becomes difficult for us to achieve any thing”, Mishra told

‘Every time central government takes a decision on the establishment of central university, our hope become brighter as Sambalpur University fulfils all criteria to be given central university status”, former parliamentarian and leader of university employees’ federation, Bhawani Sankar Hota told. He urged the government to take immediate step as it would help to minimize the regionalism issue.