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March 21, 2000

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Protests against Clinton hit Kerala students

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D Jose in Trivandrum

Protests over US President Bill Clinton's visit to India have proved costly for several students appearing for the Secondary School Leaving Certificate examination in Kerala.

A general strike organised by the Communist Party-Marxist Leninist Red Flag on Monday to protest against Clinton's visit made many students miss the examination. The education department is collecting details about students who missed the examination.

Education department director Lida Jacob told rediff.com that the number of students who missed the examination because of the strike would be below 200. However, unofficial sources put the number at about 600. The suspension of public transport on account of the protest caused made it difficult for several students, especially in the rural areas.

The SSLC examination, the qualifying examination for higher studies and jobs in the state, is taken by over a half-a-million students this year.

The government had promised it would ensure the public transport would continue operating but private buses were attacked in several places, forcing the suspension of services. Students and their parents ran helter-skelter seeking any mode of transport to reach the examination centres.

Many in the rural areas walked up to five kms in the absence of transport. Several students, who reached the examination centres late, could not complete their papers. Some students from the rural areas took up rooms in hotels near the examination centres.

The opposition grilled the government in the state assembly today for its failure to make alternate arrangements for the students. The entire Congress-led United Democratic Front opposition finally walked out demanding the resignation of Education Minister P J Joseph. They felt that the government should have postponed the examination if it could not ensure that all students participate.

Opposition leader A K Antony alleged that the strike had affected transport because of the tacit support the ruling front extended to the Red Flag.

The minister announced a special examination for the affected students on March 30. The government has so far not thought of providing relief for those students who could complete their papers because they were late.

Meanwhile, the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist and its ally, the Communist Party of India, held demonstrations and public meetings throughout the state today to protest against Clinton's visit.

Effigies of the US president were burnt in several parts of the state by the student wings of the CPI-M and the CPI. The Revolutionary Socialist Party, a constituent of the ruling front, also held separate demonstrations.

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