Student leaders to go to UK, Cong alleges extravagance

Thiruvananthapuram: With every passing day, as the Kerala finances are precariously placed, contrary to the frequent demands of the Congress-led opposition, that extravagance is continuing unabated, around 70 student leaders from the state are getting ready to leave for a week long London trip for a course at the University of Cardiff.

The upcoming trip is expected to cost the exchequer more than Rs 2 crore.

K.M. Abhijith, president of the KSU (Student's organisation attached to the Congress) told IANS that this has come at a wrong time as the state is reeling under severe financial crisis.

"Moreover, despite lofty promises made by the Left government of providing everything to schools, that also has not taken place and hence this trip has been announced at an inopportune time," said Abhijith.

The Congress has been up in arms against the frequent foreign trips of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, whose entourage returned, last week after an 11-day trip to Japan and South Korea.

And when the dust of the Congress allegations of a wasted trip was settling down, comes the fresh news that 70 student leaders from across the Kerala campus would be selected for a week-long trip to University of Cardiff.

The Education department has asked all interested elected office bearers to apply for the same.

Moreover this trip comes at a time when the tenure of the present set of College Union representatives is ending in three months time.