A week before the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections, the contesting parties are releasing their manifestos highlighting their key agendas.
Constitution Club of India, on September 4th, 2014 hosted National Students’ Union of India’s (NSUI) manifesto release campaign. NSUI is the student wing for Indian National Congress (INC) and their press campaign focused on displaying party’s plan of action out into picture.
This period, which majorly talks about promises being thrown by different parties will be followed by the election day i.e. Friday, September 12th, 2014 where the students will choose their leaders, the leaders who may or may not deliver. NSUI’s list of promises includes various such agendas that they wish to take up if given a chance to be in power.
Highlight Agendas
Right to Accommodation
“NSUI went to the grass-root level to understand plight of students. There were two such matters that our surveys highlighted which are now our highlight agendas for the upcoming year.”
-Amrish Pandey, Spokesperson, NSUI.
Section 33 of Delhi University Act makes it mandatory to provide accommodation to the students of the University where as only 9000 hostel seats are available for over 1.8 lakh students enrolled in DU.
NSUI wants the administration at the University to use 95 acre of barren land to build hostels, which would reduce the shelling out of money on private accommodations like paying guests and flats. Party’s manifesto also demands regulations in Delhi Rent Control Act.
Puneet Sharma, a day scholar from Hans Raj College says, “I am staying in a PG. Our college is having some 200 seats in the hostel for the students from different courses, reserved categories and year of study. In addition, the admission to hostel is given on the merit basis with proper reservations. This leaves little scope. This agenda by the party will really help the students.” Puneet who pays Rs. 15000/- per month for a paying guest could have managed in less than Rs. 50000/- for an annual hostel accommodation.
It is also drafted to fight the administration to take neighboring private structures on lease until the hostels are ready.
Students participate in the #Right2Accommodation movement. pic.twitter.com/o6bHsJetP9
— NSUI (@nsui) September 5, 2014
Fight against Racial Discrimination
The incidents of eve teasing, harassment, ghettoisation, mocking dressing sense, eating habits, lifestyle, language of North Eastern students is an everyday occurrence even in the so called ‘secure’ environment of Delhi University.
Angellica Aribam, an alumnus of Sri Venkateshwara College and presently National Secretary, NSUI (Assam) says, “Discrimination has no limits, I experienced it back then and it still exists. NSUI demands Grievance Redressal Mechanism with legal assistance.”
NSUI demands central government to enact Anti-Racial discrimination Law and to give speedy justice for victims of racial crimes.
“We travel from North East India and travel to mainland Indian cities to hope for better education, job prospect and a better life. What we do not foresee then is that we may someday end up as victims of crime specifically perpetuated because of our facial features, ethnicity or lifestyle”, says Chandrika, a University student who hails from Assam.
NSUI demands the Central government and Delhi University to include North Eastern culture and history in the curricula. A North East Students’ Cell in DUSU has also been proposed which will work for the welfare of that student community.
To support this, Delhi University on 3rd September witnessed a human chain rooted by NSUI to fight racial discrimination.
Other Agendas
- Revaluation and Re-assessment
- Special Chance for Final Year students
- Uniform Admission Rules
- Campus Recruitment Centre
- Disabled Student Friendly Campus
- Attendance and Marks for Sports Students
- Women Development Cell
- Grievance Redressal Committees
We have everything on our side, says confident NSUI
“We are focusing on ‘less paper campaign’ this year. Our social media promotions have been looked at very wisely during these elections. And we think that NSUI will come to power.”
-Mohit Sharma, Vice President, NSUI (Delhi Operations)
On being asked whether Congress not being in power will affect the University Elections or not, Roji. M. John, National President, NSUI says, “Modi government’s 100 days had much without delivery. Within a month, India’s youth was on the street for some issue or the other. There has been no reduction in the black money and India has seen inflation. Congress not being in power will not affect the student body. The only influence can be cancellation of nominations.”
Final Contesting Panel: NSUI
NSUI on 5th September has also released its final list of candidates contesting for the DUSU Elections 2014, the names of candidates being as follows:
President: a.a. Gaurav Tushir (Ist year, Motilal Nehru College)
Vice President: Mona Chaudhary (Ist Year, Faculty of Law)
Secretary: a.a. Ameet Sidhu Teema (Ist Year, Master in Buddhist Studies from Faculty of Arts)
Joint Secertary: A.A. Abhishk Choudhary (Ist Year, M.A from Faculty of Arts)
Karishma Thakur, the outgoing secretary of DUSU (only office bearer representing NSUI in DUSU for academic year 2013-14) told DU Beat, “We strive to go better this year. We are not making fake promises. NSUI has been active the past year as well. This time we will get to power and bring the change.”
Feature Image Panel (left to right) – Mohit Sharma (Vice President-Delhi), Amrita Dhawan (National Vice President), Sumit Dubey (NSUI Volunteer)
Feature Image Credits – Kashish Madan for DU Beat
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