Fearing molestation and harassment by the local boys of the village, as many as 86 school girls in Haryana have been sitting on hunger strike for almost a week now demanding the state government to take stock of the situation. The girls had also urged the government to upgrade their school located at the Gothda Tappa village to class 12.
Giving in to their demands, the Haryana government agreed to upgrade their school to class XII. “In view of the hunger strike of girls in the village and the government’s commitment to provide education to every girl in the state, the Haryana Government has accepted their demand,” Haryana education minister Ram Bilas Sharma said.
Sharma further said that the government was extremely worried about the health of the girls and that the problem will be solved today.
Haryana: Demanding up-gradation of their institution to senior sec school,Girl students of Govt High School in Rewari continue hunger strike pic.twitter.com/fUliya9j2k
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 17, 2017
“Will die here but will not get up from here. There are loads of problems that we need to face while going to the school. Government officials only come here to convince her to end the fast not to solve the crisis,” one of the students told the media.
The girls have alleged that the local boys harass them while they are on their way to school. The boys who come on bikes wearing helmets allegedly pass lewd remarks and also molest them. 10 schoolgirls even had to be rushed to the hospital after their health deteriorated.
Rewari girl students hunger strike: 10 students have been shifted to hospital #Haryana
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 17, 2017
The girls have claimed that they had even taken up the issue with the Sarpanch but no action was taken. The police officials have also asserted that they have taken cognisance of the situation and will soon resolve the matter.
