Girl students demand laptops, block road

Girl students of a college here on Monday blocked traffic on Varanasi-Mughalsarai GT road for over an hour, protesting non-inclusion of their names in laptop distribution programme of the SP-led Uttar Pradesh government.

According to Chandauli (Sadar) SDM Sujit Kumar, students of Vikram Singh Kanya Mahavidalaya protested here for not getting their names included in the list of beneficiary students who are to get laptops to be distributed by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.

“Presently this scheme is meant for students of government and government-aided
colleges only, whereas this college is a private one,” Kumar said, adding that a charter of demand in this regard has been taken and it will be forwarded to the government.

“During the protest, police made efforts to remove the girls from the middle of the road and when they refused, the principal of the college was called and on his assurance and handing over their charter of demand to SDM, the students lifted the protest and traffic movement was restored,” Chandauli circle officer Sudhakar Yadav said.

Yadav denied use of force on the girls by police.

He, however, said two girls fainted during the protest apparently because of heat and were admitted to a nearby hospital where their condition is stable.