Q. What brought you in student politics? How has your experience with AISA been?
A. I joined AISA after witnessing its campaign post the 16 December gangrape incident. I joined student politics because I realised there were many problems I kept complaining about, but was never able to do anything. I think AISA is giving me the right platform to solve problems. There are thousands of students like me, but someone had to take the first step.
Q. DUSU has always been weak on voter turnout. Why is that?
A. Students are frustrated with the way things are going. Had there been a party that has genuine concerns for the University, students would have voted in large numbers. For the past 30-35 years, DUSU has been a defunct body.
Q. If you could change one thing about DU, regardless of you being in DUSU or not, what would it be?
A. (points at a pile of political posters on the ground) This is what I would like to change.
Q. What would be the first thing you do as DUSU president?
A. I would ensure that, as Delhi University Act instructs, DUSU representation is maintained in all Executive Council meetings so that incidents like the FYUP mess can be averted. If we’re able to achieve this, we could possibly stop issues from reaching the point of time-consuming protests by nipping them in the bud.
Q. How challenging is it to be relatively new or less established in DU politics?
A. The more you advertise yourself, the more people know you. If you pick up this poster (picks up an ABVP poster from the ground), all you can see is ballot numbers and names. That’s all they want you to know about them. It becomes difficult for AISA since we do not believe in littering the campus or bypassing Lyngdoh Committee’s guidelines. But AISA has been making its presence felt in DU for the past few years. We were the only party to have protested since the time when the Executive Council was being briefed by the VC about FYUP.
Q. Many people believe all Left bodies to be faces of Naxal violence. How misinformed are these people? Do you face this challenge frequently?
A. Very misinformed and yes, we face this challenge every day. India’s education system does not teach what Left means and thus people tend to form misconceptions. Left aims at equality and we aspire for a society with no classes. This is neither violent nor a bad idea.
Q. If you had to differentiate AISA from other parties in one sentence, how would you do it?
A. Our student-based issue-oriented politics versus hooliganism.
Q. What’s your take on the guidelines of Lyngdoh Committee?
A. Some rules are silly like the expenditure cap. We have raised our voice for reforms in the guidelines of the Committee. Yet, AISA is the only body to be completely adhering to Lyngdoh Committee’s guidelines.
Q. What message would you like to convey to that average DU student who is annoyed by polluting campaigns and is contemplating on whether to wake up or not to vote for a Union more or less defunct?
A. You all will see change the day we enter office.
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Ishaan Gambhir
EDM lover, photographer, big-time foodie, drummer, writer, reader, gamer (CS 1.6 and err, Flappy Bird only), a problem solver and not as Gambhir as alleged topped with Hollywood & English TV shows in my blood. In a million ways extremely unique and distinctive and at the same time just a normal guy. Can be reached at [email protected].
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