Students can return from Kota on their own, says Himanta

Prabin Kalita | TNN | Apr 22, 2020, 09:55 IST

View in Kota amid lockdown

GUWAHATI: About 170 students from the state studying at Kota in Rajasthan, can return home if they want to, but they will have to come back on their own, the state government has said. Further, on their return, the students will be required to complete a 14-day quarantine.
Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state government was not making transport arrangement for their return. “They have to hire vehicles,” he said. Himanta, in a reply to a query by a student on twitter whether the Assam government would help in their return journey, said in his tweet, “There is no question of confirmation or non-confirmation.
It is the decision of students to come on their own risk and also volunteered to follow quarantine rule of government. We are only concerned about your wellbeing.” On Sunday after a talking to about 100 students of the state in Kota through video conference, he tweeted, “I along with MoS @Pijush_hazarika, ADGP @gpsinghassam, principal secretary @samirsinha69 spoke to over 100 Assam stranded students in Kota & assured them that Govt is standing by them. Their needs will be taken care of.
Their cooperation in compliance of #Lockdown2 is appreciated.” After Uttar Pradesh sent special buses to bring back about 10,000 students of the state from Kota, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Ghelot announced that five states, Assam, West Bengal, Chattisgarh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have also agreed to evacuate their students from Kota, which has raised questions about bending lockdown restriction on inter-state movements for students from Kota and not for migrant workers, who are also similarly stranded outside their home states.
The stranded students at Kota started a social media campaign #SendUsBackHome, seeking help from the respective state governments. Even parents used the hashtag to appeal for a safe return of their children. “My daughter and many other students from Assam are stuck in Kota due to the coronavirus... my humble request to u to make necessary arrangement to send them back home. @himantabiswa #SendUsBackHome,” said a tweet.
Another tweet said, “@sarbanandsonwal@himantabiswa@ashokgehlot51@ombirlakota Sir, My brother is stuck in Kota and he is feeling very depressed. He wants to come back home in Guwahati. I humbly request you to look into the matter #SendUsBackHome”