Press Releases

Details: Press Releases; 31 December 2018

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The Central Executive Committee of SFI pays our heartfelt homages to the demise of Comrade Simon Britto who have left us after living an extraordinary life as a 'living martyr'. In 1983, when Comrade Britto was SFI State Vice-President, he was attacked and stabbed by KSU-Congress(I) goons. So bloody was the attack that he had to spend 3 months bed-ridden leaving his body was paralyzed spine down. But by sheer courage and determination, he got back to life, thereby earning the title of “Living Martyr”.

The deep spinal injuries had paralysed his body chest down. He continued living with upholding the same politics and values of the white flag of SFI. He emerged as a vibrant voice of left in Kerala. Comrade Britto, living in wheel chair, traveled across the nation and wrote enormously. He was also served as an member of Kerala legislative assembly as a nominated member from Anglo-Indian community. He remained a huge source of inspiration to all SFI cadres and left activists throughout his life.

Today, at the age of 64, Comrade Simon Britto breathed the last. He will be remembered and hounered forever by the progressive student community in all its struggle against the right wing forces.

Red Salutes to Comrade Simon Britto.

Released by

VP Sanu, President

Mayukh Biswas, General Secretary

Details: Press Releases; 18 December 2018

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As part of the fellowship movement the central executive committee of SFI urged all the university units and research institutes to organise protest demonstration for increasing fellowship and its regular disbursement. SFI will be holding protest demonstration on these demands on 21st December, 2018. SFI demands that the government has to intervene in the following matters with urgency:

Non-NET fellowships should be increased by at-least 50 % from the current session.
A hike according to the inflation of last 4 years and regular disbursement of fellowship of JRF, CSIR and ICCSR or ICHR has to be done.
A parity of amount needs to be maintained while awarding scholarship across the higher education institutes.
The notification for scholarship like MANF, RGNF or SVSGC which has a particular target population cannot be untimely and irregular.
More scholarship in the post graduate level has to be ensured for the people who are coming from weaker financial section of society with preference to those from marginalized communities and to increase the present post graduate level scholarships according to the inflation of last 4 years.

Details: Press Releases; 12 December 2018

The Central Executive Committee of SFI extends its warm solidarity and complete support with the protesting students of TISS Hyderabad against the anti-student administration who have launched a series of attempts to dismantle the institution. The administration of TISS, without any consultation with the student body or in any democratic platform, has taken a decision to scrap the Bachelor’s in social sciences course. They have also decided to close down the residential facility in the Rajendran Nagar campus. The students have been protesting since December 10 demanding the reversion of the administration’s decisions.

These decisions have come to light only when the notification for the upcoming academic year was out on Oct. 31st, during the vacation period to avoid any larger mobilisation to the autocratic decisions they took. Students immediately registered their anguish over the decisions and reminded the administration about the repercussions may follow if the decisions are carried. The director refused to meet the students or address their concerns and queries. It was only after the students warned the administration on a fee boycott, the TISS Students’ Council was called for a meeting with the Director Shalini Bharat on November 22, 2018, wherein she refused to roll back any of the decisions. Students were left with no option but to wage a battle to the authoritarian administration. The protesting students have also raised concerns over the scholarship and fees.

We see the decision of TISS administration in connection with the larger attacks going on in the country against social science courses. The developments in TISS are also pinpointing multiple nature of assaults on higher education in the country. Therefore the resistance built by the students in TISS Hyderabad deserves a larger solidarity from all who stands in defence of critical thinking and democratic campus.

SFI demand the TISS administration to immediatly withdraw the decisions to scrap BA courses and to make the campus a non-residential one. SFI stands in solidarity with the protesting students of TISS Hyderabad and also appeals the larger sections to extend their support to the ongoing battle.

Relesed By

VP Sanu (President) Mayukh Biswas (General Secretary)

Details: Press Releases; 04 December 2018

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(Photo Courtesy; The Hindu)

The Central Executive Committee of SFI extends its support and solidarity with the people affected by the Cyclone Gaja, which hit parts of Central Tamilnadu in Mid-November. The enormous scale of the destruction has become clear now and the state of Tamilnadu and its people are struggling to overcome the damages occurred. Thousands of people have lost their houses, livelier, paddy farming lands, crops etc. Transport and electricity have been collapsed in a huge scale. Around 3 lakh people were taken shelter in relief camps.

SFI units in Tamilnadu have been actively engaged in the relief works following the cyclone which caused huge lose of properties and people to the state. We call upon all our units in Tamilnadu to continue their works till the normalcy is back in the affected areas. As always, one of the worst affected sections of this disaster also is the students and children. We recognize the need for a larger solidarity from across the nation to help out our fellow countrymen in Tamilnadu. SFI CEC urges all our units to carry out intensive collection of relief funds and materials for the Cyclone Gaja hit people. We appeal the general public to contribute generously to the relief efforts and fund collection.

Released By

VP Sanu (President) Mayukh Biswas (General Secretary)