Students call off stir

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 12-day-old agitation by pro-left students'' organisations in Kerala, demanding among other things adherence to 50:50 ratio merit-management quota in admissions to private and self-reliant professional colleges, was called off on Sunday night following talks between the government and students'' representatives.
Announcing this after ending the fast in front of the secretariat by student leaders, SFI state President P K Biju said the talks with Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty and Finance Minister K Sankaranarayanan were ''positive.''
Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan offered orange juice to eight student leaders on fast before the government secretariat, marking the end to the stir which had triggered violent protests in many parts of the state in the last few days.