Engg. colleges: Pillai speaks up for NSS, SNDP

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, AUG. 8. The Kerala Congress(B) leader, Mr. R. Balakrishna Pillai, today alleged that the State Government had committed injustice by ignoring the claims of the NSS and the SNDP, the two organisations representing the Nairs and Ezhavas, while sanctioning self-financing engineering colleges in the private sector.

The Kerala Congress leader also criticised the failure of the UDF Government to implement its election promise by disbanding the toddy workers' cooperatives.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Pillai said there was no justification for the Government's failure to give due representation to these two organisations while sanctioning the private sector engineering colleges. He rejected the contention that the UDF Government had only given final clearance to these institutions as a follow- up of the LDF Government's decision, and stated that the people had not elected the UDF to implement the LDF Government's incomplete tasks.

He questioned the credentials of some of the outfits which had been given permission to open professional colleges. Some of the trusts had been packed with friends and relatives of the promoters.

The Government should examine closely whether these trusts were equipped to function in public interests. He said that the only mistake that the NSS and the SNDP had committed was to help the UDF return to power. These organisations should not be punished for this, he said and added that he could not remain a mere spectator to this sleight since he was one of the coalition leaders, who had played a role in drawing the two organisations to the UDF.

Mr. Pillai questioned the norms relating to conferring minority status to the professional colleges. The contribution of the NSS and the SNDP in the education sector cannot be overlooked, he said. With regard to the toddy workers cooperatives, Mr. Pillai demanded that these bodies be disbanded immediately. Since toddy was not being sold through these shops, the disbanding of the toddy coops would hardly have any impact, he said.

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Section  : Southern States
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