Students' association protests against corruption, corporate plunder in Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 10 (ANI): Members of All India Students Association (AISA) initiated their 100-hour protest campaign against corruption and corporate plunder on Wednesday.

At least 3,000 youth activists from 20 states are participating in this protest, which began on Tuesday and will end on August 13.

AISA General Secretary Suchita said the government has deceived the people by presenting the government's draft in the Parliament, which does not include the Prime Minister in its purview.

"A few days back we saw a scam of 17,60,000 crore 2G spectrum scam, Commonwealth Games and many more scams, this money belongs to the common man of the country and with this money people could have been provided free education for the coming 4-5 years, which is very necessary for the people of the country. But the accused people stashed that money into their accounts, thinking it was theirs," said Suchita.

"And when the common man protested on the streets, the government said they will bring into force Lokpal (Ombudsman) Bill, but as soon as the monsoon session of the Parliament started, the government deceived people and presented the government's draft in the Parliament, which does not include Prime Minister in its ambit," she added.

Demanding that the Lokpal Bill should come into force soon, Suchita further said: "Prime Minister is chief of the cabinet, he knew it all, without his knowledge or consultancy, no major policy level decision is taken and today he and his party says that they are not responsible for these scams."

Stating that the current policies favour the corporates, the protesting students demanded a change in economic policies.

"We demand that the economic policies, which are responsible for corruption in the country, which are beyond the Lokpal Bill, should be changed. It is a country, in which according to the central budget data, the corporate are given tax waver of 240 crores everyday and on the other hand 80 percent of the population is living by earning just Rs. 20 a day," said Suchita.

"The country belongs to whom and who needs a tax waver. It is the millionaires or the poor people, who need subsidy for food and education. So, we demand that such economic policies should be rolled back," she added.

The final meeting between the government and the civil society representatives on the drafting of Lokpal Bill ended on June 22, with differences remaining on six key issues such as including the post of Prime Minister and the higher echelons of judiciary under the purview of the Lokpal. (ANI)