Agartala: The NSUI's Tripura unit on Saturday threatened to launch an agitation demanding rollback of the state government's decision to introduce standardised school uniforms for students of government schools.

In a notification, the Education Department had announced the introduction of standardised uniforms for all government schools, including Vidyajyoti and PM-SHRI institutions, from the next academic session. The directive aims to ensure uniformity across schools of the same category.

Addressing a press conference, NSUI leader Amir Hussain alleged that the move was aimed at benefitting a businessman from Gujarat at the cost of local traders.

“We strongly oppose the decision. The local businessmen engaged in making and supplying school dresses will suffer. The contract, worth around Rs 50 crore, has gone to a Gujarati businessman, diverting funds that should have supported local dressmakers,” he said.

Hussain claimed that more than four lakh students are enrolled in different government-run schools in Tripura and urged students and youth to oppose the move.

He further said that the NSUI and Youth Congress will jointly launch a statewide agitation to press for rollback of the decision.

Tripura Youth Congress president Nilkamal Saha also alleged that the contract for supplying school dresses had been awarded before the Education Department issued its notification on September 11.