With the election fever catching up in the University, ABVP has also upped its efforts to reach out to students in the campus. In the recent developments, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad(ABVP) has submitted a memorandum to the Election Officials for the session 2017-18 to ensure a better election process. It has also formed a committee to select its candidates for the DUSU Elections 2017.
Submits memorandum to Election Officials for better Election Process
On August 26, 2017, a four member delegation of ABVP met the recently appointed DUSU-2017 Election Committee to raise some points of demands and give their suggestions for the smooth functioning of this year’s Delhi University’s Students’ Union (DUSU) polls.
Among various issues that the party highlighted, it requested for avoiding the ambiguity in the counting process of votes through proper numbered EVMs allotted to every college. They also asked the authorities to run an awareness campaign in order to increase the voting percentage and even asked for attendance benefit for the students who come to the college to vote on the election day.
They also took the issue of paper wastage with the authorities and demanded designated ‘Wall of Democracy’ in every college in order to reduce paper wastage.
Forms Committee to select official candidates
The party has constituted Committee to select the official candidates of ABVP for the polls. The committee comprises of Dr Avnish Mittal-State President of ABVP, Dr Manu Kataria-National Executive Council member, Monika Chaudhary-National Secretary, Bharat Khatana-State Secretary, Ajay Thakur-State Organizing Secretary, Abhishek Verma-State Joint Secretary and Amit Tanwar-the outgoing DUSU President.
The committee will select the candidates for the DUSU elections which is going to be held on September 12, said a press release which was issued Saket Bahuguna, the national media convener of ABVP.
Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections are just around the corner and the anticipation is palpable even from quite a distance. With just a fortnight before its commencement, All India Students’ Association (AISA) has urged Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s intervention in subsuming the unwarranted and illegitimate practices of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliated Right Wing students’ political body Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
AISA has openly raised arguments about the alleged unethical behavior of ABVP goons and brought to light the ill temperament of right student wing delinquents in the university campus and particularly highlighted their near malevolent attitude towards Kawalpreet Kaur, AISA President, by calling her an “anti-national slut” and allegedly outraging her modesty.
“The ABVP has become the censor board in the campus and reserves the authority on what is allowed and what is not allowed…. The election cannot be free and fair as long as their violence continues,” Kawalpreet Kaur told the press of IANS live.
She has demanded the Delhi University’s administration to refrain from letting ABVP contest in the elections on account of their homicidal behavior during the incident in Ramjas College. She showed pictures of Ankit Basoya and Mahamedha Nagar, ABVP candidates, attacking protesters during the Ramjas incident. She also spoke about the fear that ABVP has entrenched in the campus with their blatant hooliganism.
They have drawn a very subtle parallel between Modi’s “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” campaign and ABVP’s alleged reputation for shamelessly using force on women and their supposed misogynistic treatment of the ilk. They have also suggested failure of Modi’s “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan” under ABVP’s election campaigning which unabashedly involved soiling the varsity spaces with party pamphlets.
Sanjay Bohidar, a DU professor expressed his agitation towards ABVP in general and the government in particular for letting unscrupulous elements like that of ABVP to prosper. He was of the opinion that an atmosphere where even the police is under dire pressure and ceases to deliver justice, is anti-education, not because of one ideology domineering over the others but because of consensus of a common view under the ambit of that ideology.
He also recalled former DUSU President, Satender Awana’s outright tongue lashing at St. Stephen’s teacher, Nandita Narain and Law Faculty Dean Ved Kumari and how despite the severity of the event, the lack of prosecution by either the police or the university administration.
A video which went viral on social media platforms last year, witnessed Satender Awana verbally tormenting Ved Kumari in the presence of police and general public.
Another teacher from Shri Ram College of Commerce was of the view that the university premises lacked basic freedom and that there was no exhibition of cultural activities by any organisation other than ABVP.
In the light of the Ramjas incident which took place in February this year, AISA members accused ABVP, the alleged conspirers for physical assault and repeated threats. Similar cases have also undergone police intervention and legal trial. A very recent example of the same is Kawalpreet Kaur’s alleged harassment by ABVP activists in Satyawati College, immediately after which she approached the police to file an FIR.
The varsity is no doubt a sight of uneasy and murky politics as the election season unfolds and sets to witness the polls on September 12.
On August 16,2017 All India Students’ Association (AISA) President, Kawalpreet Kaur filed an FIR against Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members claiming charges of physical restraint and verbal abuse , while she had gone to Satyawati College for some academic work. Ms Kaur alleged in her complaint that ABVP members tried to bully her and called her an ‘anti-national slut’. She also proclaimed that the Principal of Satyawati College helped her to reach out to the police.
In a series of events following this incident, Satyawati College Principal on August 21,2017 in a press release claimed the incident as hoax and even wrote to the SHO, ACP and DCP of Bharat Nagar Police Station mentioning that all charges put by Ms. Kaur, who is an outsider, are fake. In an official statement to DU Beat by the Media Convenor of ABVP, Mr. Saket Bahuguna condemned the systematic propaganda and slander campaign against ABVP by some communists. The statement read as,” Repeatedly, Ms. Kaur and her comrades have tried to spread canards about our organization to get some publicity , especially after she and her Naxal- supporting organisation was rejected by the student community in the DUSU elections.”
ABVP expressed shame on the half- heard defamation charges without any solid evidence and their publicity by some media groups without knowing the entire reality from the students or authorities of Satyawati College . Keeping the upcoming Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections in mind, AISA tried to spread slander and lies against ABVP and maligned its members’ image as claimed by the organisation of ABVP.
AISA in a press release on August 23, 2017, following these remarks carried out a signature campaign in support of Kawalpreet Kaur . Ms Kaur said, “It is really saddening that the principal has given into the pressure of ABVP. Such a statement by the Principal attempts to derail the entire case. Also , we have the call recordings and many messages that were sent to my friends in Satyawati to persuade me to take the case back as well as the ‘receiving’ which was duly claimed by the Principal at the time of the incident. Thus , the Principal’s recent statement of denial stands false.” Niraj Kumar, State Secretary of Delhi State AISA said,” Why is the Principal shielding the culprits? It is this shielding that gives the audacity to harass women. We demand that the police should ensure a proper enquiry in the matter.”
The Principal in his statement mentions that the college opinion was not taken into account by the police department which is eagerly supported by the ABVP as well. It is all up to the police now to follow the due process of law and testify the truth as the matters have heated up now.
In yet another instance of smothering the agents of discourse and discussion, the Delhi School Of Economics (DSE) postponed an event on the campus on grounds of ‘lack of space’.
The event, titled ‘DU Conversations Celebrate 70 Years of Indian Democracy’, was scheduled to be held on Thursday. It was being organised by ‘DU Conversations’, a group comprising students and teachers from different departments of Delhi University.
However, Pami Dua, the DSE director issued a notice stating that the event had to be ‘postponed due to lack of space’.
The organisers on the other hand, allege that the event was postponed even after obtaining prior permission.
The program was to have included songs of the freedom movement by a member of the Ambedkar Univerity, Delhi faculty, a performance of Dastan-e Amir Hamza by DU history students and music by a workers band. In between, say the organisers, there were to have been two 15 minutes slots for open conversation about DU concerns, “including discrimination”.
Further, efforts of the students to approach the proctor of the university, hoping for an alternative venue, were squashed by the DU Chief Security Officer (CSO).
Denying rumours that students were invited to speak on the Ramjas issue at the event, organiser Rajat Sonkar said, “We did not invite anybody to speak on the Ramjas issue and, unlike some reports doing the rounds, we do not have any political affiliations” as told to The Hindu.
The students further said that they were persistently questioned by the police and charged with “baseless allegations”
On February 22, violent clashes had broken out between the ABVP – the student wing of the RSS – and students who were protesting the cancellation of a seminar where JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid were expected to speak. Since then, several events on campus aimed at discussing the political clashes in Ramjas college have been cancelled.
This has created an atmosphere of a bleak University space where voices and reason can’t sustain itself under the authority of the administration. The question remains, how long will this culture of muffling opinions under the garb of administrative judiciary, persist?
As the election season is round the corner, there are a few questions we need to ask ourselves before you cast your precious vote. For the past many years these student unions have been releasing majestic manifestos. Has there been any progress? Has the University witnessed a change?
If you go through the manifestos of different parties, you’ll realise how similar they are in the amenities, provisions and campaigning techniques. The consecutive years have seen no major change in these manifestos; they remain focused on providing a safe environment for women, affordable hostel facilities, proper implementation of the Choice Based Credit System, formation of a North Eastern Cell, encouragement of anti-ragging and anti-discriminatory practices, and so on.
One might argue that change doesn’t happen in a day but the fact that certain parties have backed a seat or two (or more) in DUSU elections year after year and still the agendas they put forth remain the same is a matter of great concern. The students of the University of Delhi need to question their political presence and the allocation of resources that they garner.
Talking of ABVP, since 2014, certain bullet points have maintained their place in the list of agendas even after them coming consecutively to power. They include having a bank account for all the students of the University, hostels, safety from sexual harassment and discrimination, North East progression and preservation of their culture and rights, etc. It is alarming that such issues of grave concern still remain left to be addressed. The same story continues if we look at the manifesto of NSUI or even that of AISA.
Political ideology and inclination is what separates them because the demands and needs of the students are basic and every party knows the importance to assure the basic minimum requirements in their own ways. The problem arises when after capturing the seats, the funds are misused or muscle power becomes the means to address issues, staff and students alike.
One way by which we, being aware citizens of this University, can ensure greater credibility, responsibility and participation from their side is by continuously questioning them through the means of different forums regarding their earlier manifestos and the allocation of funds. The fact that we are the largest democracy of the world gives us an advantage over these parties who live in a constant fear of losing elections if they don’t perform to the best of their abilities. We have to target this weakness of them because this one vote that all of us have is our greatest strength.
In another case of assault by ABVP members, Kawalpreet Kaur, the president of Delhi University All India Students Association (AISA) has alleged harassment by ABVP members as she visited Satyawati College. She alleges that the ABVP members harassed her, tried to physically restrain her and verbally abused her.
She has lodged a FIR against members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of RSS. The FIR has been registered under Section 154 of CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) along with Sections 354, 354(A), 509, 341 within the IPC 1860 Act against the ABVP activists. The police complaint has been filed against Vikram Singh Tomar, ABVP convenor of Satyawati College, Dharamprakash, Adw-ait Sharma, Mantu Sharma and few unknown activists.
[quote]I had gone to Satyawati College in order to meet a professor there for my own academic work as well as to meet some of my friends and AISA activists. As soon I entered the college ABVP members gathered around me and started harassing me[/quote]
-Kawalpreet Kaur, AISA President, Delhi University
She alleged that the ABVP activists tried to bully her by saying ‘tum kya kar rahi ho’, ‘show us your ID card’, ‘we shall not tolerate any anti-national activities here’, ‘Satyawati ko Ramjas nahi ban ne denge’. She resisted by saying that it was her right to visit any college. After this, the ABVP members started shooting her videos on their phones. As she resisted their action, she was abused by Dharam Prakash, whom she alleges as an outsider. “They questioned my nationality, called me a slut”, says Kawalpreet. Meanwhile, one of the students who asked ABVP members to steer clear of her way was also roughed up by them.
Later hearing the commotion, the Principal of the college reached the scene and dispersed the crowd. “He supported me and helped me file a complaint against them”, says Kawalpreet. She expects the police to take strict action against those who advocate for goonda-gardi in the campus.
A “Poetry Procession” was organized by All India Student’s Association(AISA) at the University Of Delhi on 4th August (Friday). Students and AISA activists took out a poetry march with the theme “Harmony shall win.’ The march visited Ramjas College, Hindu College & Kirori Mal College protesting against the allegedly growing number of violent incidents on campus, reported Hindustan Times.
The students’ march from the front gate of Arts Faculty was followed by a large number of alert policemen, many of them in riot gear. Raising banners and singing songs, the marchers reached Ramjas College and took their procession inside the College campus.
When the participants entered Ramjas College, they were met by protests by members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), who shouted slogans like “anti-national AISA get out of campus.” Slogans of “AISA campus chodo” and “Deshdrohi naare lagane walon, wapas jao” were also heard. Police officers accompanying the procession prevented any untoward incident.
While speaking to Hindustan Times Saket Bahuguna, the National media convener of ABVP denied the presence of any ABVP activists there and said that the resisting students were probably Ramjas Students. But one of the ABVP members Sudhir Dedha while speaking to Times of India accepted the fact that it was ABVP members who protested against the march. He said, “We will not tolerate their presence and will keep protesting against them.’
At Hindu College, the students were not allowed to enter the premises hence they registered their protest by singing songs and reading poetry outside the college gates. Hindu College principal Anju Shrivastava, however, said she had been busy at the time and was not even aware of the protest at the college gates or that they were denied entry.
Meanwhile speaking to Hindustan Times about the reason behind the protests, Kawalpreet Kaur said “We wanted to break the silence, that is borne out of fear amongst many in Delhi University Campus. In the light of what has happened in Ramjas, SRCC, and other DU colleges, we wanted to convey a message that violence on campus cannot be normalized.”
After nearly five months of the incident of obstruction of a seminar and the subsequent violence at Ramjas College that followed, the issue has taken a new turn. In a recent Action Taken Report(ATR) filed by the Delhi Police in the court, it was initially reported by some news papers that professors who led the protest against ABVP allegedly raised anti-national slogans. The Delhi Police report, submitted by the joint commissioner, in regard to the earlier court report, stated that some of the administrative staff and professors were also a part of the protest. The videos were later found to be fake by Delhi Police.
The professors were accused of shouting anti nationalist slogans, “Hum Kya Mange Azadi”, “Kashmir Mange Azadi”. Delhi Police had initially named five faculty members for leading the protest march in which the slogans were raised. They were Dr Devraj Mookherjee, Mukul Manglik, Vinita Chandra, NA Jacob, and Benu Lal. Speaking to DU Beat Dr Mookherjee said he wasn’t even part of the protest. “The police put it wrong, I was not there and everyone knows that. The entire college knows that. I did not happen to be a part of that march. So, I am not a witness to the particular slogan hearing incident”, he said denying the charges.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity a student of the college who doesn’t have any political affiliations said that the protestors were chanting “Meethi Meethi Azadi”, “ Pyaari Pyaari Azadi” which got misinterpreted to anti nationalist slogans and was misused in the doctored video. “The accusations are entirely baseless,” said the student.
After the video was found to be doctored, Police Officials said that they would send other videos for forensic examination as well. Speaking to the Hindu, deputy commissioner of Police, Madhur Verma, said that the clip was an amalgamation of the Ramjas Protest, speeches by JNU student Umar Khalid and other incidents and the Police department has asked media sources for a raw and authentic footage of the protests.
Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister for the Delhi government decided to cut government funding to 28 Delhi University colleges on Monday. Twelve of the aforementioned colleges are completely dependent on funds from the Delhi government. The decision was taken after the colleges failed to create a governing body which would regulate them and look into their finances. To protest against this, members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad gathered near the Faculty of Arts today. ABVP students burnt a dummy representing Sisodia in order to express their outrage at his decision.
While Sisodia insists that he took this decision because of the delay in the creation of a governing body, ABVP claims that it is a threat to the reputation of the University and the well-being of its students. While speaking to DU Beat, DUSU President Amit Tanwar described this decision as a gamble with the future of students. He insists that ABVP would not back down from its demand that this decision be reversed. He also revealed that the organisation is willing to go to the residences of the Chief and Deputy Chief Ministers themselves if that means getting the students and colleges justice.
A considerable number of police officers were present at the location in order to maintain law and order and prevent the possibility of a violent outbreak. The National Democratic Teacher’s Federation (NDTF) also protested against the same decision at the Faculty of Arts. Slogans like “Manish Sisodia down down” could be seen on the placards being waived around. While opposition against this decision is strong, Sisodia insists that it was taken to prevent corruption and has even ordered a Comptroller and Auditor General audit into the 28 colleges for the same.
What remains to be seen is whether the Delhi government will soften its stance, and if it doesn’t, for how long will ABVP and NDFT protest against the issue? What happens to the 28 colleges and its students and how long will they be able to sustain themselves with the funds that they have?
A teacher at Delhi University’s prestigious Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) was assaulted by a student. The incident occurred on 14th July, Friday when Pardeep Phogat, a final year student of Global Business Operations (two-year diploma course), slapped and kicked his teacher Ashwani Kumar in the college’s parking lot.
Reason for the row.
The student affirms that he lost his cool because he thought that the professor was trying to fail him deliberately. “Ashwani Sir has had a problem with me since last year when I participated in the college elections. He holds a grudge against me since I’m from Law Faculty and from ABVP. He doesn’t want students to be politically active. He gave me zero in my internals, and also asked all other teachers do the same.” said Phogat. He further added, “My attendance was normal, but he stopped my admit card this year. I was simply speaking to Ashwani Sir on Friday, pleading with him to not ruin my future. But he said ‘I won’t let you pass’. After that, I pushed him, slapped him thrice and kicked him in his abdomen. He left me with no other option.” These statements are clearly the admission of Pradeep Phogat’s guilt.
Pradip Phogat, the SRCC student who allegedly beat up his own teacher
The teachers maintain that the accused had failed in his exams for which he was given zero marks. According to the college authorities, the student had been prodding the teacher to pass him in the internals. “Last semester, he had failed in all his exams, and this semester he didn’t even sit for the examinations. What can a teacher do? He probably thought he could threaten teachers and have his way, but things don’t work that way. He had earlier also called and threatened Ashwani Kumar on the phone regarding the same,” college Principal R. P. Rustagi Rustogi asserts.
Teachers take action, file FIR.
After the incident, some of the teachers including the college Principal went to the Maurice Nagar police station and submitted a complaint. Subsequently, a FIR was filed under IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341(wrongful restraint) and 506 (criminal intimidation) on Friday. However, Phagot was released on bail on the same day.
ABVP in damage control mode.
Phogat was the Union Sports Secretary of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) in 2015 and claims to be a member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Though, in wake of the recent incident ABVP has denied any association with him. “The student was never a part of ABVP. He might have worked with DUSU in the past but hasn’t represented ABVP. He is not even a member of the organisation,” says Bharat Khatana, General Secretary, Delhi ABVP. However, old pictures of the accused with ABVP members have surfaced.
ABVP Posters featuring Pradip Phogat
Not the first time for ABVP
This is not the first time the ABVP has engaged in a blatant display of muscle power and assaulted professors. Last year in June, Dr Vineet Mehta, physical education professor of SRCC was thrashed by DUSU president Satender Awana. Following which roughly 70 teachers marched to the Maurice Nagar police station and registered the FIR.
Before that, on 15th December 2016 The Dean of Law Faculty, Professor Ved Kumari gave a statement against ABVP for abusing, threatening and vandalising her office property when she denied admit cards to the students who had failed to meet the attendance criteria.
It’s about time.
When some student (or union representative) assaults professors openly, then not only is it’s too obvious to comment on impunity and entitlement that backs these hooligans, but also raises important questions on law and order situation pertaining in the campus. It’s about time that university administration and police start taking action for the sake of campus community’s safety.
DU Beat hopes that these cases move beyond FIRs and the guilty is dealt with sternly.
