CPM condemns CM's statement over fee hike at HPU

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPM condemned chief minister Virbhadra Singh's statement, in which he had said that “a student who uses a mobile phone worth `15,000 and spends `200 daily on the Mall Road can also pay the hiked fee”.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPM condemned chief minister Virbhadra Singh's statement, in which he had said that “a student who uses a mobile phone worth `15,000 and spends `200 daily on the Mall Road can also pay the hiked fee”.

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The CPM said the statement of the state head was not only unfortunate, but also showed the attitude of the rich politicians, who thought that everyone in the state was rich and had lot of money for luxury.

The party said being the chief minister, he should know that majority of the population of the state was poor and depended on agriculture.

“The CM should realise that now with the existing hiked fee structure, even lower middle class people with an income of Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 per month, will be forced to think before sending their wards to the government institutions, especially Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), one of the prime institutions of north India,” said Bhupender Singh, CPM district secretary.

He said in the HPU, the students have been forced to stay as paying guests (PG) due to lack of hostel facilities. He added that the CPM would join the agitating students from September 27 onwards.