Vadodara: After a major ruckus, female college students staying in the govt-run Samras Hostel have been ‘permitted' to attend garbas during the ongoing Navratri festivities. On Friday night, scores of female students complained that they were not being allowed to leave the hostel premises to participate in garbas. The students staged a protest and raised slogans against the hostel authorities for not allowing them to participate in Navratri festivities.
In previous years, women staying at Samras Hostel, which is run by the social justice and empowerment department of the Gujarat govt, were given permission to participate in garbas till 1am. For the last three years, the Patidar Samaj even arranged for buses to pick them up and drop them back after garbas in the Chhani area of the city. The hostel authorities this year denied them permission on the grounds that they had not received directives from the state govt.
The students said after being denied permission by the hostel authorities, they made a representation to Vadodara MP Hemang Joshi. Joshi assured the students he would make a representation to the authorities. On Saturday evening, the students finally got relief as a notice was posted at the hostel stating that women students would have to submit a written request to attend garbas.
They have been asked to submit in writing that they will return to the hostel on time. There are 1,200 female college students staying at the Samras Hostel..