Hubballi: Students from various educational institutions led by the local unit of the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat (ABVP) took out a protest rally demanding extension of free bus pass facility to poor students of all communities.

In the protest rally held in front of the North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) head office in Hubballi, a large number of students took part.

While welcoming government’s move to issue free bus passes to students from SC, ST, the protesting students said all students belonging to the economically weaker section of society should be provided with free bus passes irrespective of their caste and creed.

“Majority families of farmers are distressed following incessant drought situation in the region. Hence they are not able to afford educational expenses of their wards. To help them in such a situation, the state government should extend free bus pass facility to poor students from all sections of society instead of providing it only to those from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. It would help a large number of talented, poor and backward class students to pursue learning,” they said.

The NWKRTC should run buses to remote areas and help both the people of those areas and the students as well, they said.

ABVP City Unit Secretary Prasad Karanandi, Zonal Convener Siddu Salimath and others took part. Later, a memorandum was submitted to NWKRTC Chairman Sadanand Danganavar.