Kurnool, June 25: Activists belonging to various Left parties on Monday expressed their severe resentment against the lathicharge on members of All-India Student Federation who were protesting against the inordinate delay in release of scholarships to SC, ST and BC students for the current academic year.

The protesters covered their mouth with black cloth and took out a silent procession from the children’s park through R S Road, Rajvihar Centre and the Medical College. They reached the district Collectorate where the rally culminated into a dharna.

Speaking on the occasion, the Left leaders pointed out that the police had not only resorted to unprovoked lathicharge on students who were demonstrating peacefully in protest against State government’s failure to release scholarships, but also subjecting them to severe harassment by foisting cases.

They warned that such suppressing tactics may lead to an upsurge among the student community resulting in dangerous consequences.

It was highly unfortunate that the State government was using brutal force to quell the agitations, particularly by the students, instead of releasing the scholarship amount in time, they lamented.

Expressing grave concern over the growing instances of police attacks on the student leaders in the district, they demanded that the cases foisted against the AISF leaders be immediately withdrawn and that the State government take immediate steps to release the pending scholarships. They also warned the government of intensifying the agitation if these demands were not met.

Communist Party of India district assistant secretary Ramanjaneyulu, town secretary Jagannatham and CPI-ML New Democracy district secretary Venkata Swamy, leaders of All India Youth Federation and the AISF were among those who spoke on the occasion.