Opposition stages walkout alleging inaction

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition members staged a walkout in the Assembly on Thursday in protest against what they called the government’s inaction against self-financing professional college managements which accept capitation fees.  The issue was raised by V S Sunil Kumar of the CPI through an adjournment motion. He alleged that the colleges were accepting high tuition fees and  capitation fees flouting all norms. Though there is a stipulation that capitation fees should not be collected, open bargaining was going on in all these colleges. He alleged that the government had given a blank cheque to these colleges to collect tuition fees of their choice and capitation fees in return for accepting the government formula of 50:50 for seat sharing.        Quoting media reports, he said that Dr Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College had collected between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 50 lakh as capitation fees for admission to MBBS course. He also demanded that the government should conduct a probe into this and a criminal case should be registered against the college management.  Replying to this, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy assured the House that the government’s stand on the issue was very clear. ‘’No college managements will be allowed to collect capitation fees. Strict action would be taken against the managements which collected capitation fees. The government views the issue very seriously,’’ he said. Meanwhile, Health Minister Adoor Prakash said that the government would order a probe if it received a complaint in writing based on the allegations. The government had so far not received any complaint and only a media report in this regard had come to the notice of government, he said. Following the reply of the Minister and the Chief Minister, the Speaker denied permission for a discussion on this issue, following which the Opposition members walked out of the House. Before staging the walkout, Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan said that the State Government was giving silent support to the managements for collecting capitation fees. ‘’The govt should find a permanent solution to the issue and if it shows genuine interest, the Opposition will also support,’’ he said.