Students and Youth Protest NIELIT Shift
Tirupati: A massive rally was organised in Tirupati under the leadership of Gen Z to protest the proposed relocation of the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) from Tirupati to Amaravati.
Thousands of students, youngsters and local residents took part in the protest, raising the slogan “Cockroach Tirupati” as a symbol of their opposition to the relocation.
The rally was held from the second gate of Sri Venkateswara University to its main gate. Tirupati MP Maddila Gurumoorthy, YSR Congress Party Tirupati in-charge Bhumana Abhinay Reddy, MLC Sipaai Subramanyam, former Mayor Dr. Sirisha, former MLC Yandavalli Srinivasulu Reddy, and others participated in the protest.
NIELIT Proposal Took Shape During Jagan’s Tenure
Speaking on the occasion, MP Maddila Gurumoorthy said the proposal to establish NIELIT in Tirupati took shape during the tenure of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
He said the institution was envisioned with the objective of providing skill training to between 4,000 and 12,000 youngsters, preparing them with industry-relevant skills and improving their employment opportunities.
According to Gurumoorthy, preparations had reached the stage where a Detailed Project Report (DPR) had been prepared for establishing a permanent NIELIT campus on around 15 acres in Tirupati.
Against this backdrop, shifting the institute to Amaravati was unfair, he said.
Opposition to Shifting Institutions from Rayalaseema
Gurumoorthy said a similar situation had arisen with institutions such as the National Forensic Sciences University and the Skill University, which had been proposed for Tirupati.
He clarified that the YSR Congress Party had no objection to new universities and institutions being established in Amaravati. However, he objected to institutions related to education and skill development that had been proposed for Rayalaseema being shifted to other regions.
NIELIT Crucial for Rayalaseema Youth
The Tirupati MP said institutions such as NIELIT were crucial for creating better employment opportunities for the youth of Rayalaseema within the region itself.
He pointed out that providing industry-oriented skill training to local youngsters could help increase employment opportunities in industries around Tirupati.
He further said Rayalaseema, where a large number of young people depend on education and employment opportunities, needs more higher-education and skill-development institutions.
YSRCP Demands NIELIT Stay in Tirupati
Gurumoorthy said the YSR Congress Party would continue to demand that NIELIT, along with other universities and institutions originally proposed for Tirupati, be established in the city itself.
He urged the government to reconsider its decision to shift NIELIT, keeping the future of Rayalaseema youth in mind.
