As Kerala continues to suffer from a murderous monsoon with hundreds dead and several others missing, candlelight vigils and protest gatherings against the alleged central government's negligence towards the state were organised by students of several premier educational institutions across the country.
The student fraternity has also released statements expressing solidarity with the people of Kerala and condemning the failure of the central government's mechanism for timely intervention and mobilisation campaign.
It was a sleepless night for the campuses of University of Hyderabad, IIT Bombay and Jawaharlal Nehru University, as students in large numbers took out processions and gatherings for the state. They are also collecting stationary goods to be sent to the relief camps where thousands of rescued people are stationed.
"... despite the gravity of the situation, stories of dead bodies floating in water coming out, we are told by media reports that the available army-navy troops decided to suspend rescue operations till 6 am tomorrow, leave alone further redeployment. To wait anymore will be a mistake resulting in tragedy of monumental proportions, and hence we decided to come together and openly express our anguish to the nation," said a joint statement by the students of UoH and IIT Bombay.
"We hope our action, together with the cries of the stranded people, will make the government, civil society, media and our fellow countrymen to be attentive to this crisis situation in its full sincerity. We request immediate deployment of armed personnel, necessary supplies, and increased relief funds that befits a national calamity," they added.
EFLU Students' Collective for Kerala Flood Relief - a forum formed by the varsity students also released a statement criticising the Centre and national media for failing to dedicate a multi-pronged response.
"As we have very little time before such neglect leads to a monumental disaster, we have resolved to come together and express our anguish to the nation.
In solidarity with the ongoing efforts of the students from IIT Bombay, University of Hyderabad and Jawaharlal Nehru University, we call for prompt and decisive action in providing relief to the affected."
At 3 AM, around 50 students of IIT Bombay gathered in front of the administrative block of the institute, in solidarity with the victims of the flood in Kerala. In the gathering, students requested more attention from the government, the civil society and the media. Around the same time, a candlelight march and gathering was conducted at the UoH campus as well. The JNU gathering started around 4 AM and lasted for over half an hour.
An estimated 50,000 people are stranded in Chengannur, Kerala, facing the threat of imminent death under catastrophic conditions – floating corpses, starving families and desperate volunteers.
Overflowing rivers and a series of landslides have resulted in the death of 180 people as of Saturday morning, with over 3 lakh others forced to move to some 2,000 relief camps.
Before returning to Delhi from Kochi, the Prime Minister will chair a meeting to discuss the situation.
Rains subsided on Saturday morning resulting in the recording of water level in Idukki and parts of Ernakulam and Thrissur districts.
But on Friday night, airlifting could not take place in Chengannur as the incessant rains continued in the region.
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