People take part in the signature campaign in Motihari on Monday. Picture by Ajit Kumar Verma

Motihari, May 2: People demanding Central University of Bihar (CUB) in Champaran have resorted to dharna and fast to press for their demand.

In a meeting held yesterday, names of several persons were finalised as conveners to head over a dozen committees involving people from every section of society. The committees will work to create a mass awakening over the demand and give a direction to the agitation.

A detailed strategy has also chalked out to start a signature campaign against the stand of Union human resource development minister Kapil Sibal. He had expressed his displeasure over setting up of CUB at Motihari.

“We want all people in rural and urban Champaran to know about this agitation,” said founder president of the Kendriya Vishwa Vidyalaya Sangharsh Morcha and former CPM MLA Ramashraya Prasad Singh.

Sanjay Kaushik, member of the agitation steering committee, said: “Under the signature campaign, which started on Monday, we aim to submit at least one lakh signatures, demanding setting up of CUB at Motihari, to the President of India in June.”

Strike called off

The sine die hunger strike, started by members of Kar Data Sangharsh Morcha (Tax Payers’ Agitation Forum) on Saturday was called off on Sunday evening.

The activists were protesting against the enormous hike in civic taxes and reluctant attitude of Motihari Nagar Parishad for the past two years. The matter was resolved, for the time being, after additional collector Hari Shankar Singh on behalf of the district administration assured to look into the matter sympathetically.

Secretary of the morcha, Ashok Kumar, expressed resentment against the 250 per cent hike in civic taxes by the Nagar Parishad. “We have been voicing our resentment against such injustice with a large number of people in this town and the agitation would continue till the demands are not met.”