Student Unions Announce Protests Against Government Move to Dissolve Organizations

Kathmandu. Various student organizations have announced a series of protests against the government's plan to dissolve student unions. During a press conference held on Friday, the joint student organizations announced that the protest movement would begin today, Chaitra 27.

Students have taken to the streets after the government announced the dissolution of student organizations as part of a 100-point list. According to the schedule, a press conference was held on Chaitra 27, an interaction with civil society leaders is set for Chaitra 29, and discussions and interactions will be organized by Free Student Union (FSU) units and districts in colleges across all 77 districts from Chaitra 30 to Baisakh 4, 2083.

Similarly, the students have announced an interaction with former student leaders and lawmakers on Baisakh 5, followed by promotional activities from Baisakh 7 to 9 (placing banners in colleges, distributing pamphlets, and organizing various competitions such as elocution, debates, songs, ghazals, dohori, pop battles, dance, street plays, flash mobs, and displaying wall paintings), along with a signature collection campaign in every college.

All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) President Deepak Dhami stated that the program includes submitting a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellors of every university on Baisakh 11 and to the Prime Minister through the Chief District Officer on Baisakh 12.

According to him, a demonstration involving notebooks and pens is also scheduled for Baisakh 15 in the Kathmandu Valley, including Baluwatar, and across the country.

Along with the protest program, the joint student organizations have also presented a 7-point demand to the government. These include the establishment of dedicated servers and data centers for universities, the formulation of a cybersecurity policy, the regulation and monitoring of technology integration in universities, and the immediate implementation of the report submitted by the high-level commission formed by Tribhuvan University.

Furthermore, the student organizations have demanded the government's stance on Nepal's Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura. They have also urged the government to control inflation and announce a relief package for the public, citing that the excessive rise in petroleum prices due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia has burdened the Nepali people with high costs for daily essential goods and transportation.