BJP president in Telangana K Laxman Friday called off his five-day-long indefinite fast, seeking justice for Intermediate students in view of alleged goof-up in declaration of results, following an appeal made by the party leadership.
Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir, who offered fruit juice to Laxman to end the fast, alleged the state government lacked sensitivity towards the students.
"More than 25 students committing suicides is biggest such mishap in the country. Unfortunately, our state president K Laxman had to undertake hunger strike after this mishap...
"Five-six days have passed (since he launched the fast). As his health suffered badly, I have come to request him... All have requested him and he withdrew his fast," Ahir told reporters.
The state government has not seriously pondered over why more than three lakh students failed among the more than eight lakh who appeared for the exams, he alleged.
The Centre would check the technical issues of the matter and study the possibility of conducting a CBI probe if the state government fails to take up the issue with due compassion, Ahir said.
"We will check the provisions for the Central government to act by looking into the technical issues of the matter. The demand for inquiry by high court (judge) is being made today. If the state government here does not take it with sensitivity, we will study if we can do an investigation by CBI," he said.
"We don't interfere in the work of any state government. But, we cannot leave the students in the air (to their fate)," he added.
The demand for inquiry is justified as errors definitely happened and the state government should take the action against, whether it is the contractor agency entrusted with the task of handling results, the secretary of Intermediate Board or the minister of the department concerned, he said.
The Union Minister appealed to unsuccessful students not to commit suicide as the Central government was with them.
Ahir called on Laxman and offered fruit juice to him at the state-run Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) here.
Laxman was shifted to the NIMS by police, hours after he launched the indefinite fast outside the state BJP headquarters here on April 29. He continued his fast in the hospital.
BJP President Amit Shah spoke to Laxman, party General Secretary Muralidhar Rao said.
"You have started the indefinite fast to intensify the stir among people. Henceforth, the whole party would take the stir forward. Keeping your health in view and the warnings by doctors, you should reconsider (your fast)," he quoted Shah as having told Laxman over phone and also through Ahir.
Laxman called off his indefinite fast after Ahir put forth the party's as well as the Centre's view on the issue, Rao said.
BJP has decided to intensify the agitation in Telangana on the issue, he added.
Rao announced a plan of action, including party leaders calling on families of students who allegedly committed suicide, organising conventions of parents of nine lakh students who appeared for the exams and taking up one-day fast in all 119 Assembly constituencies in the state so as to mount pressure on local MLAs towards making the government agree to demands.
He said the party leadership would meet Union Home Minister and other ministers and also the President if necessary in the days to come.
Laxman started his fast with demands, including sacking of education minister G Jagadeesh Reddy, suspension of Board of Intermediate Education (BIE) secretary, judicial inquiry into the whole episode and paying compensation to families of students who allegedly committed suicide, upset with the result.
BJP staged a state-wide bandh on the issue on Thursday.
About 9.74 lakh students had appeared for the Intermediate exam in March this year and 3.28 lakh of them had failed, according to official sources.
The BJP has claimed that 25 students killed themselves since the declaration of results on April 18.
The alleged bungling by BIE in the announcement of results led to widespread protests by students, their parents, student organisations and political parties.
Some students and their parents claimed that they secured poor marks despite being merit students.
Errors like not displaying practical exam marks in the memos of certain geography students and bubbling error in some OMR sheets by examiners, along with mistakes of other nature, have come to the fore since the announcement of results.
A three-member committee, appointed by the state government to look into the issue, has pointed out certain shortcomings in conducting the exam and suggested remedial measures.
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