National General Secretary of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) Kapil Patil criticized the new Private University Bill passed by the Maharashtra Legislature in the winter session, claiming it could deprive underprivileged students of scholarships and other financial aid.
Speaking at a press conference in Pune, Patil said, "The doors of education for the poor are going to be closed. Schemes like Sarathi, Mahajyoti, Barti and Tarti, which provide educational concessions, are now in jeopardy. The recruitment process for these schemes has also been halted."
Patil, along with JD-U officials Atul Deshmukh, Zakir Attar, Nilesh Nibalkar, and others, expressed concerns about the bill's impact on students from disadvantaged backgrounds. "Be it the daughter of a cobbler in Kolhapur, the son of a temple priest in Nashik, or the children of farmers in Marathwada, all will be adversely affected by this bill," he stated.
Patil particularly raised concerns about the future of students who have already enrolled in colleges under the existing scholarship and freeship schemes. He feared that the bill's provisions could disrupt their education due to the lack of financial assistance.
Calling the bill "anti-poverty and anti-education," Patil announced plans to meet the Governor and request the cancellation or amendment of the legislation. He also urged student activists, social workers, university students, and other citizens to raise their voices against the bill.