The Delhi State Committee of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) has written to Chief Ministers of various states to expedite process of transporting stranded students back to their native place. Citing the extreme difficulties faced by students, the letter dated May 9, 2020, said that ensuring students reach back to their family is the minimum that the government can provide to the students.
Many students from different parts of the country come to Delhi to pursue higher education in universities, or take coaching for civil service and other government examinations. The letter noted that they were unable to go to their hometowns before the lockdown.
Most of them are not financially well enough to manage basic amenities such as ration and gas for the extended lockdown period, it said.
Another reason the SFI wants the states to make arrangement for the transportation of students back to their home is the continuous pressure levied by the landlords in Delhi regarding payment of rent. Many students come from humble backgrounds and living in a costly city such as Delhi is already a challenge for their families. Many of these students either work in the informal sector in order to make their ends meet. Recently it had raised the issue of landlords harassing students to pay rents in Delhi. It had asked the authorities to compensate the landlords for the loss in their income from rents for the lockdown period. "This is completely wrong and unacceptable. In the circular issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, dated 22nd April 2020, the government of NCT of Delhi had ordered against threats of eviction to student tenants by landlords and against the latter asking for "immediate payment of rent"," SFI Delhi had said in a statement.
The lockdown has affected the income of these students and also of their families, the students' body said and has urged the CMs to start 'Chhatra Special' trains and buses for migrant students stuck in Delhi free of cost.
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