ABVP-Linked Students Call Tina Dabi a ‘Reel Star’ During Fee Hike Protest
Students claim detention; IAS officer denies allegations.
Students at Maharana Bhupal College in Rajasthan's Barmer district staged a protest on Saturday against a recent hike in examination fees, demanding a meeting with District Collector Tina Dabi, the acclaimed IAS officer who topped the UPSC Civil Services Examination in her first attempt at the age of 22 and has since become a prominent public figure.
The demonstration escalated when an administrative official described Dabi as a role model for the students, prompting disagreement from several protesters affiliated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, who countered that she was more of a "reel star" focused on creating social media content rather than addressing genuine student concerns.
Following the exchange, some students alleged that they were detained by authorities after concluding their sit-in protest, leading to a larger gathering of peers outside the local police station demanding the immediate release of those taken into custody and an apology from the administration.
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Senior police officer Manoj Kumar categorically rejected claims of formal detention or arrest, stating that no individual was mishandled and that four male students were merely brought to the station temporarily to de-escalate the situation before being allowed to leave, with senior officers subsequently engaging in dialogue to resolve the matter peacefully.
District Collector Tina Dabi issued a detailed statement dismissing the allegations entirely, asserting that no arrests or detentions occurred and that the students involved were briefly taken to the police station for discussions after persisting in blocking roads despite the fee hike issue having already been resolved, emphasising that the controversy was being artificially amplified on social media solely for maligning purposes and cheap publicity.
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