UP sends 300 buses to Rajasthan's Kota to bring back students amid lockdown
Lucknow/IBNS: The Uttar Pradesh Government is sending some 300 buses to bring back students from Rajasthan's Kota, preparing for competitive examinations, who have been stranded in the city owing to the nationwide lockdown in two phases to combat the deadly novel Coronavirus spread.
According to reports, the buses will be sent from Agra and Jhansi to Kota, where thousands of students across the country stay to prepare for competitive examinations by taking coaching classes at various institutes.
"The buses are being sent to bring back kids who are stuck in Kota. We are sending food, water bottles, masks and sanitisers. Each bus will be able to bring back 25 kids. Some buses will also be sent from Jhansi," a senior government official in Agra was quoted as saying by NDTV.
Confirming the move, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said as Uttar Pradesh is sending the buses to take back the stranded students, other state governments can do the same so that kids don't feel panic and depressed.
In a tweet, he wrote: "As the UP govt called back students of UP living in #Kota #Rajasthan, it can also be done for students from other states. Students in Kota can be sent to their home states on the consent of the concerned state govt so that these young boys & girls do not panic or feel depressed."
As the UP govt called back students of UP living in #Kota #Rajasthan, it can also be done for students from other states. Students in Kota can be sent to their home states on the consent of the concerned state govt so that these young boys & girls do not panic or feel depressed.
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) April 17, 2020
However, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has criticised the move and said this is injustice with the principles of lockdown.
"The way special buses are being ferried to bring students from Kota is an injustice with the principles of lockdown," he told media.
His government has also taken up this matter in an open letter to the Union Home Ministry.
"This will open up a Pandora's box. If you allow students, on what grounds can you stop migrant labourers who are also stuck," Bihar Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar has said in the letter urging that the special permits granted by the Rajasthan government be cancelled.
Kota is a hub of coaching centres and educational institutes where thousands of students reside to prepare for tough entrance examinations to get enrolled in prestigious engineering and medical colleges after Class XII.
The Narendra Modi government had announced an initial 21-day lockdown starting on March 24 and then extended the same in the second phase up to May 3.
There have been several panic stories since the announcement of lockdown where thousands of migrants in Delhi and Mumbai attempted to reach home defying orders of lockdown and social distancing.
Several states have announced to promote students to next grade without examinations owing to the continuous absence of classroom teachings.
The highly contagious COVID-19, which had its outbreak in China's Wuhan city last December, has infected 13, 835 people across India and claimed the lives of 452 so far.
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