from daijiworld's special correspondent in Panaji
Panaji, Feb 7: Majority of the students boycotted their classes on Wednesday in most of the professional and general colleges in Goa demanding action against the police officers for handling girl agitators using male constables during the students' strike on Wednesday.
The students had taken to the streets on Tuesday jamming the entire traffic in Panaji city. Alleging injustice to them in state-government sponsored cyberage scheme, around 500 students had blocked the links leading to Panaji almost for two hours before being arrested by the police.
"It was pathetic.. Male constables molested girls on the road in the presence of senior officials. They were picking up girls though under the law the female constables should be used for the purpose," Abhijeet Gaonkar, a students leader, said.
The students, gathered under banner of The Students' Forum, have decided to continue their agitation till government considers their case under cyberage scheme. The scheme, launched during BJP-regime, envisages providing computers to the college students at a mere cost of Rs 1,000.
The strike called by students on Wednesday remained peaceful though a group of students was seen going around in various colleges requesting students to boycott classes. "We are forced to do it or else government is taking us lightly," a student leader stated.
"Also, we want to bring to the notice of public how police themselves were hitting and misbehaving with the students, especially female students," they stated.
The students stated that during their last meeting, the chief minister Pratapsingh Rane had assured to provide computers within 15 days but failed to adhere to his promise forcing the students to take on the streets.
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