Bandhs hit students in Meghalaya

TURA, Sept 25 – The ongoing agitations called by various groups in Meghalaya have hit hard the students of schools and colleges. While the student community has been spared in the Khasi Hills, the Garo Hills region has been very harsh in this respect. In the last two weeks, uncertainty has loomed large. While most people in the State have expressed their disgust over the bandh calls, the bandhs have, however, not been defied.

Students have already lost two precious weeks and are staring at a similar prospect this week as well as a two-day bandh has been called by the GNLA. The bandhs have disturbed the academic schedules in schools and the struggle to complete the syllabus in time will be a hard task. Principals of some prominent schools in Tura have even tried to keep their schools open during the bandhs, but lack of support from parents has scuttled even that initiative.

The DC of West Garo Hills, Pravin Bakshi, said, “The frequent bandh calls have affected the students and the school routines to a great extent. Fear psychosis prevails among the people who are wary of backlashes. If things go on like this, the effect it would have on the students of the region is unthinkable. Already, principals of various schools have come to us to speak on the issue.”

Students have also been affected due to the ongoing teachers’ agitations in addition to the frequent bandh calls mainly in the Garo Hills region. Education has been identified as one sector in the State that needs the maximum support for its development. The Garo Hills region has been suffering the most in this sector.