Pune (Maharashtra) [India], August 29 (ANI): Maharashtra Tribal Development Minister Ashok Uike on Saturday said that the Mahayuti government will provide written assurances to protesting Adivasi students in Pune, who have been sitting on a hunger strike pressing their demands, including compensation to victims' kin who died at a Scheduled Tribe (ST) residential school in Gadchiroli.
Uike said that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has positively considered their demands.
Adivasi students are on an indefinite hunger strike at the Hostel in the Manjari area of Pune, demanding action on various long-pending issues concerning Adivasi students. They have been demanding compensation of Rs 1 crore each for three who died of snakebites at a ST residential school in Gadchiroli.
Other major demands include the immediate implementation of the pending recruitment process for 12,500 ST posts and other ST recruitment vacancies across the state. They have also demanded the reinstatement and permanent appointment of PESA employees who were relieved from service.
Uike said the government has held multiple rounds of discussions with the students and that the latest meeting was the third such interaction. He said the matter was discussed on August 18 and 19, followed by another meeting on August 26.
Speaking to ANI, Uike said, "These are children of a cultured society, a society with a rich culture and glorious history. We have had a positive discussion with CM. The matter was taken positively. They will receive everything in writing, and we will ask them to withdraw their hunger strike."
He also said the students came with a clear objective to demand their rights and that their movement should not be viewed through a political lens.
"As for the politics surrounding the students' issue, our children have never come here for politics. They have come with a clear objective and determination for their rights," he said.
Congress leader Sunil Chandrakant Bhusara, who attended the meeting along with Uike, students and other colleagues, said the Chief Minister had accepted the demands and that written assurances would be provided soon.
"We attended the meeting along with our Tribal Minister Ashok Ji, students, and other colleagues. A positive discussion was held with everyone. Chief Minister accepted the demands. Written assurances from the government will also be provided. The process will be completed soon," he said.
Student leader Saurabh Bande said the first demand concerned recruitment against 12,500 posts allegedly taken by bogus candidates. He said the Chief Minister had assured that the government would collect complete data on these posts within three months and begin the recruitment process in the subsequent three months.
"The first demand was for recruitment against the 12,500 posts allegedly taken by bogus candidates. The CM has said that the government will collect the complete data on these posts within three months and start the recruitment process in the following three months," he said.
"Within the next three hours, we will receive the complete written details and timetable. Our brothers and sisters have been on hunger strike for 16 days. We are taking a step back for now. A major meeting is to be held after three months to discuss the remaining demands and their further process," Bande added.
Bande said the students would receive the written details and timetable within three hours and, as the hunger strike had entered its 16th day, they were taking a step back for now.
Another student leader said the students were satisfied with the assurance on recruitment and hoped the government would fulfil its commitment. He added that the issue of bogus candidates remained a major concern and that the Chief Minister had assured them that action would be taken according to law.
The student leaders thanked the Chief Minister, leaders present at the meeting and those who supported their movement, including Rohit Pawar and Rahul Gandhi.
"We thank the Maharashtra CM, all the leaders present, and everyone who supported our movement, including Rohit Pawar and Rahul Gandhi, " he said.
A large number of students have also joined a sit-in protest in support of the hunger strike. The health of some students participating in the hunger strike has reportedly deteriorated.
The agitation began on August 13 to draw the government's attention to the educational, social and other concerns of tribal students. The protesters have demanded the immediate withdrawal of the government resolution issued on August 5, which they claim is unjust and adversely affects students residing in tribal hostels. (ANI)
Maharashtra Tribal Development Minister says protesting Adivasi students in Pune to "receive everything in writing"
