ONE MORE student of the College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (CVSAH) of Junagadh was shifted to GMERS Medical College and Hospital, Junagadh on Sunday after his health deteriorated on the fifth day of the ongoing hunger strike by students, demanding a hike in stipend.
Nirbhay Nandaniya, one of the seven students on hunger strike since August 10, was rushed to the government-run hospital early Sunday.
“Nirbhay’s health deteriorated in the evening and eventually he had to be rushed to hospital,” said Gaurav Solanki, one of the striking students.
“We have been on strike for 11 days and on hunger strike for five days. Yet we have not got any positive response from the Gujarat government. I humbly request the government to think about our demand and increase our stipend,” he added.
Around 2,000 students of four veterinary science colleges of the state government-run Kamdhenu University, including 350 students of CVSAH, have been on an indefinite strike since August 1, demanding their monthly stipend be increased from Rs 4,200 per month to Rs 18,000. They claim the government has not increased the stipend for several years and that current stipend is not sufficient in times of inflation.
Of the 350 students of Junagadh, seven were on indefinite hunger strike from August 10 and five of them have so far been hospitalised and subsequently discharged.
On August 12, three students—Mamta Swamy, Safi Mohammed Nadeep and Kishan Darji were hospitalised. On August 13, another student Gifty Mahida was hospitalised. All of them have since been discharged. The striking students said that Nandaniya was also discharged late Sunday.
“We will continue our strike during the Independence Day celebrations and Janmashtami also if the government doesn’t accept our request,” a student from Junagadh told The Indian Express.