Patna, June 18: A delegation of the CPI-ML (Liberation), All India Students' Association (AISA) and Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA) today submitted a memorandum to education minister Ashok Choudhary over the ongoing students' protest at the College of Arts and Crafts.

The delegation demanded an inquiry committee for the ongoing student agitation and also asked for the removal of college principal Chandra Bhooshan Shriwastava.

CPI-ML MLA Sudama Prasad, RYA national general secretary Om Prasad and AISA state secretary Ajit Kushwaha led the delegation and raised questions over the college's functioning.

"We have demanded for an inquiry into the ongoing protest," said Sudama. The principal of the college used indecent language while interacting with the female students. Also, how can the guards of the Patna University vice-chancellor open fire on students? It is grave issue and must be addressed."

Sudama was referring to last month's incident where a few students of Patna University tried to gherao vice-chancellor Y.C. Simhadri at his residence. The guards had opened fire to disperse the crowd.

Tension started at the college on April 25 after eight students were suspended for demanding action against a contractor who had allegedly beat up a student on campus. On June 14, Nitish Kumar, a Dalit student attempted suicide in his hostel room, upset with the principal.

"The minister has assured us that he will look into our demands," said Sudama. "If no action is taken within five days, we will launch a mass agitation across the state. The students are protesting over a genuine cause but the government seems insensitive towards them and is trying to play down on the issue."

The protest has hampered the ongoing semester examinations because agitating students boycotted the test. On June 7 and 13, they stopped examinees from writing the exams.

"It is has become the government's trend to appoint non-professional people for the top posts and people who have connections with the ruling party are preferred," said RYA national general secretary Om Prasad. "The story of the College of Arts and Crafts is the same. The principal has no knowledge about arts."

Om also said the topper scam in Bihar had put a question mark on the future of meritorious students who will go outside the state to pursue higher studies because institutions outside will get the impression that they have forged their marks too.