NASHIK: As tribal students’ agitation at Nashik’s Idgah Maidan entered its 17th day, Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijit Dipke on Thursday urged the protesters to end their indefinite hunger strike and instead take their fight to Mumbai, saying only a march to the state’s power centre would force govt to listen.Visiting the students protesting poor conditions in tribal residential schools, Dipke said the issues raised by them reflected the grim state of tribal education across the country and questioned why funds lying in the PM CARES Fund could not be used to improve facilities.“The situation is very bad in educational institutions where tribal students study. Many schools lack drinking water, proper toilets, beds and even basic educational facilities,” Dipke said after interacting with the students.Questioning the use of PM CARES funds, he said, “About Rs 8,500 crore is lying with PM CARES. Is this money being preserved for retirement? This amount is enough to change the fate of tribal education across the country.”The students have been protesting against the Central Kitchen scheme, alleging that stale food is being supplied to ashramshalas, and demanding better bedding, functioning washrooms, adequate water supply and other basic amenities in tribal hostels.Dipke expressed surprise that several ministers had visited the protest site but failed to resolve the issues. He also accused the state leadership of ignoring the students’ concerns.“Their voice will never be heard from here,” he said. “I advised them to stop the hunger strike, continue the agitation and march to Mumbai. That is where govt will be forced to hear them.”Offering his organisation’s support to the agitation, Dipke also challenged chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over claims that most govt schools are in good condition. “The chief minister recently said 75% of govt schools are in good shape. Let him join me and the media on a tour of schools in Vidarbha,” he said. He further dared govt to publish a report card highlighting its achievements since coming to power in 2014.
