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DUSU holds annual marathon in North Campus

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Delhi University Stiudents Union (DUSU) organised a university wide marathon in North Campus, as a part of ABVP’s endeavor to create political awareness among university students. Organised every year since 2009 (barring 2012 and 2013- when ABVP wasn’t in power), the central theme of the marathon was Initiative 272: securing 272 seats for Mr. Narendra Modi in the fast approaching elections.

Among the Chief Guests were Mr. Suresh Thakur, owner and CEO of the media house- Aapka Faisla, Mr. Umesh Dutt, National General Secretary, ABVP and Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Assistant Professor, Aurobindo College.

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Organized by Raju Rawat (DUSU Treasurer), Dharmedre (Dhamu) and Avadh Nagpal, the marathon managed to get thousands of students out on the streets to support ABVP. The marathon started from Law Faculty, North Campus and circumferenced the entire campus region. Tens of policemen patrolled the region to make sure that the event progresses smoothly. The turnout was huge and the event took place in a highly orderly manner.

Avadh Nagpal, one of the main organisers of the event, had the following to say, ‘We faced a lot of problems. Some of our important sponsors backed out last minute. A lot of preparations were in jeopardy because of that. But we somehpw had to pull it off. We aimed to bring together 25,000 students and we managed around 11,000. So extremely satisfied.”

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DUSU and ABVP observe ‘bandh’ in Delhi University

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The dissatisfaction against the First Year Undergraduation Programme (FYUP) was recently expressed as a ‘Delhi University Bandh’, organised under the leadership of DUSU and ABVP party members on the 17th of January, 2014. Apart from their major demand for the dissolution of the FYUP, the protest also included some other demands such as a restart to the recently scrapped off re-evaluation system, and an introduction of certain benefits for the economically weaker sections of the ‘general’ class. The dharna was staged in North Campus, propagating their agenda in several colleges, primarily including Kirori Mal, Hans Raj and Hindu.

Through banners and posters, a prior notice about the bandh had been given to the students and teachers of Delhi University. While the classes seemed to go about as usual in several colleges, some colleges including Lady Irwin College saw many classes get cancelled. The attendance drop was low in most colleges, with a 15% drop in KMC. Ramjas College already didn’t have any classes scheduled in lieu of the College Founder’s day. The protests started off from the Faculty Of Arts around 12 p.m., slowly gaining momentum as banners and chants of “Rollback FYUP” caught the attention of interested onlookers. However, as Kirori Mal and S.G.T.B Khalsa college indicate, this action was only restricted to a number of colleges as a tight security arrangement had been arranged for restricting and minimising the acts of hooliganism. Most off campus colleges including Motilal Nehru, Sri Venkateswara College and Lady Shri Ram College for Women were not effected by the bandh with classes continuing in a normal fashion.

The bandh is the part of a series of protests that ABVP is planning for the rollback of the FYUP. They have also followed a black ribbon day distributing fliers and black ribbons to students as a form of protest.

“FYUP has failed to live up to the expectations and the results prove that, it seems like the marks have been distributed to students for no reason other than the promotion of FYUP…like a lollipop being offered to a kid” says an ABVP member, Hindu College.

Akhil Goswami (akhilg@dubeat.com) and Isheeta Sharma (isheetas@dubeat.com)

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Campus Central

Political parties set out to woo voters from Delhi University

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With the state elections just around the corner, Delhi University happens to be a stage for political campaigning by different parties. In the university elections itself, many bigwigs come out in support of the students’ wing of their respective parties.

Besides, two of the most prominent politicians of Delhi happen to be DU alumni. The present Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, did her graduation in History Honours from Miranda House and Vijay Goel of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is an alumnus of SRCC, who was also the Delhi University Student Union President in 1977-78. Congress has fielded Ragini Nayak and Amrita Dhawan for the upcoming elections, who have been former DUSU office bearers. Parties have been fielding young leaders to attract young voters.

Let’s have a look at the campaigning activities of major political parties in the University:

Aam Aadmi Party

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is the most visible among all the political parties in its campaigning in Delhi University. Arvind Kejriwal visited St. Stephen’s College in August to interact with students. Many students from different colleges have joined AAP and are volunteering for the Delhi Assembly Elections. Yogendra Yadav addressed a rally on 30th October in the University. Recently, MTV VJ Raghu Ram could be seen campaigning for AAP in different colleges of DU and in IIT Delhi. Prashant Bhushan has also addressed students on various occasions.

Adding to this, in the party manifesto released on Wednesday, the party declared that if brought into power, they would open more colleges in the state and roll back the Four Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP).

Bhartiya Janata Party

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BJP has its share of young leaders who have been DUSU office-bearers. Nakul Bharadwaj, popular face of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of BJP, contested elections last year as well. ABVP has organised a bike rally to spread awareness about voting among the youth. ABVP has also initiated a campaign ‘Youth For Change’, to spread voting awareness. The emphasis on the youth is apparent in the campaigning by the party where it promises to open 15 new colleges and one university under the Atal Yuva Mission, if voted into power. They are also promising to exempt all taxes on computers, laptops, tablets and smart phones for college students.

Congress

National Students Union of India (NSUI) the students wing of Congress had organised a protest march against Vijay Goel. At least four ex office-bearers of NSUI are fighting elections from Congress ticket in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. With the release of the party manifestos, the Congress promises to increase the number of evening colleges across the University, a new university for health sciences and 5 more medical colleges. Besides, the state government had also proposed 90% quota for Delhi students in the state funded colleges of DU in October.

The Election Commission is leaving no stones unturned in roping in the young voters. It has started campaign with many NGOs to rope in the young voters and enrol students of various colleges to vote in the upcoming elections.

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ABVP’s Reaction to Defeat in Elections

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Ritu Rana from ABVP who stood for the post of President giving an interview accusing NSUI of foul play soon after the results were out

“ABVP calls Delhi University to be closed on Monday, 17th September because of unfair means in calculation of votes in DUSU elections”. This is the message that was widely circulated on Sunday nights, causing wide absenteeism in colleges on Monday.

In what is being regarded as a highly imprudent move, the ABVP is busy garnering attention and public support because they feel that the DUSU elections vote counting process was rigged.

‘I think they are being too egoistic, they should just accept that they have lost and move on”, says Professor Prachi, of the English Department, Hansraj College.

As commonly known by now, ABVP lost the elections as NSUI sweeped the polls to victory. Subsequently, the former accused DU of using unfair means to calculate votes but strangely did not file an application requesting a re-counting of votes. “It’s stupid, if they so strongly believe that the elections were rigged, they should have filed an application immediately, rather than engaging in hooliganism”, says Vaishali, a student of Hansraj college.

This move by the ABVP was also not very successful as classes went on as usual in most colleges, where no reports of ABVP stalling classes was reported. However, the ABVP activists were able to make their presence felt in colleges like KMC and Ramjas, where the activists stormed into classrooms and demanded that the students leave the classrooms, thereby disrupting normal college routine.

“They just entered into our classes even when our professors protested. They did not let the class continue.”, says Nupur, a student of Ramjas college.

While no new move has been introduced on part of ABVP, speculations are that they will not raise this issue further, because of lack of evidence and also since they don’t want to spoil their party image.

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Celebrations Result in Lathi Charge

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Congress’ student wing NSUI (National Students’ Union of India) made a clean sweep at the DUSU polls on Saturday 15th September by winning all three top posts of President, Vice-President and Secretary. After the results were announced, the losing side (ABVP activists) started pelting stones at the ABVP office, broke through the tight security and barricades. Subsequently, Delhi Police had to lathi charge the gathered ABVP activists while they shouted anti-Congress slogans and demanded the recounting of votes. ABVP suspects something fishy behind the counting of votes.

ABVP isn’t satisfied behind the counting process as they alleged rigging in the elections and staged protest at the DUSU Office breaking the windows and destroying the DUSU Office property. “Everything was done with calculated planning and even the DUSU officials made sure that NSUI wins. Congress MPs Depender and Bhupender Singh Hooda were seen at 6 am on campus. We were even given a deaf ear and thrown out of the DUSU Office when we demanded recounting” said Rohit Chahal, regional leader, ABVP.

Some students who were injured were taken to Hindu Rao hospital while some students who were critically injured were taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre. “It’s not about winning or losing the polls. It’s about the way Delhi Police reacted when our students demanded recounting of votes. I hope DUSU officials look into the matter and do the needful.” said a disappointed Vijay Goyal, BJP Leader.

The ABVP has also called for a bandh across the University to protest against these alleged malpractices during  counting of votes.

 

Picture credits: Sawdha Singh and Aishwarya Chaurasia

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DUSU Elections 2012- NSUI beats ABVP

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Saturday, September 15, 2012 Congress’ student wing NSUI swept the Delhi University Students Union polls, winning all three top posts of president, vice president and secretary. NSUI’s Arun Hooda defeated, a margin of 5,465 votes. As against Arun who got 17,621 votes Choudhry secured just 12,156 votes.

For the post of vice president NSUI’s Varun Khari defeated ABVP’s Gaurav Chaudhary, and Varun Choudhry won the post of secretary by defeating ABVP’s Ritu Rana. There was a tie between NSUI’s Raveena Choudhary and ABVP’s Vishu Basoya for the position of Joint Secretary.

“I am extremely happy, it was indeed a well deserved victory” says a supporter of the winning president Arun Hooda.

The DUSU elections were held yesterday in which 40% polling was reported. The ABVP is obviously not satisfied with the results and alleged rigging in the elections and staged protest at the Delhi Universitycampus, to control which the police had to resort to lathi charge. Since the morning, the area near the University Plaza and Dean Student welfare where the counting was taking place was cordoned off by the police and nobody, not even the media was allowed in.

 

Aishwarya
aishwaryac@dubeat.com

Picture credits: Swadha Singh

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ABVP, BSKS protest Kashmir documentary screening

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In another act of right-wing protestation, members of the ABVP and BSKS threatened to disrupt the screening of Jashn-e-Azadi, a documentary on Kashmir earlier this Thursday over its alleged delineation of a pro Kashmir independence sentiment. The screening was organised by the Delhi School of Economics’ Sociology department.

In previous incidents, Pune’s Symbiosis University cancelled the screening of the film after protests from the RSS-aligned Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. ABVP even protested the teaching of the Ramanujan text in 2008 by vandalizing the office of Prof. S.Z.H.Jafri, the then history department head. The Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena (BSKS), infamous for one of its members attacking Prashant Bhushan over his statement on Jammu and Kashmir, tweeted “Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena & other Nationalist’s Groups will stop today Sanjay Kak’s Jashn-e-Azadi (anti Army & pro Kashmir azadi movie) screening at Delhi School of Economics, DU(sic).”

Rohit Chahal, Pradesh Mantri of ABVP Delhi, who was incarcerated temporarily in 2008 for his involvement in the violence outside Prof. S.Z.H. Jafri’s office in protest of the teaching of the Ramanujan text said, “The permission for the movie screening was cancelled by the University, also Jashn-e-Azadi hasn’t even got clearance from the Censor Board, so how can they show it. The movie hurts regional sentiments, depicts the Army to be responsible for the tribulations in Kashmir”

Denying reports of any ABVP protesters barging into the screening and breaking the police cordon, he further went on to say, “The police allowed us to go in. There were ABVP members who were already inside and we peacefully protested in the campus. We would have anyway been permitted to go in as the screening was organised by the All India Students’ Association”

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A Faith Questioned

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– Aditi Sharma

On February 4, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati asked the Prime Minister to put a ban on the text recommended for the Delhi University History students, which allegedly contains objectionable references to the characters in Ramayana. Mayawati made a written complaint to the Prime Minister, after Akhil Bhartiya Vidhayarthi Parishad (ABVP), and BJP students wing protested in Delhi and Lucknow, alleging the text was a part of a book compiled by Prime Minister’s daughter Upinder Singh.

According to Shiksha Bachao Andolan Samiti, ABVP, Indraprastha VHP, Bajrang Dal and other socio-religious organizations this is degrading to our Hindu culture. A number of groups have organised protests and have raised objections to the inclusion of an essay by (late) A. K. Ramanujan, titled “Three Hundred Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three Thoughts on Translation�. The said essay is one of the readings for the Delhi University concurrent course on Ancient Indian Culture in the B. A. (Honours) programme, which has been offered in several Colleges from July 2006 onwards.

In the essay, Ramanujan illustrates and analyses the great dynamism and variety in what he describes as ‘tellings’ of the story of Rama within India and across the world. It has, however, some references to Hanuman which the ABVP says are offensive. “This is a deliberate attempt to hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community. If the article is taught, students will be expected to reproduce it in exams as well. In our education system, unless you write what is taught in class, you do not get marks. Hindu students will be forced to write something they do not believe in,� said Niharika Sharma, the ABVP’s Delhi General Secretary. A memorandum has been sent to Deepak Pental asking for the deletion of that text from the course.

The Prime Minister’s Office, however, said there had been a misunderstanding as Upinder Singh’s name had been found in one copy of the text. “I have absolutely nothing to do with this text. The contentious article is not written by me. Nor is there any book of mine, which contains the article. I fail to understand why I am being linked to the text,� Upinder Singh said.

Some students are of the opinion that the entire issue is baseless and aims to promote party politics. “India is a country of diverse cultures. These epics were in fact oral and were later converted into written forms as per the various cultures. And so (that explains) the differences.� said Shreya, a History student from Stephens.

“One cannot teach by imposing. One cannot questions different faiths and other versions. The crux is the same�, said Arushi, Vice President, Gargi College. History Department teachers in LSR, too, spoke on the same lines, saying that they defend the issue and “The article should certainly be included in the curriculum The aim of the course in question is to teach University students to be able to analyze a variety of source material academically, analytically. One should not get sentimental on issues like these�

As the famous saying goes…“History is past politics� and Politics is “present history�. It is after all a game of select few who decide the paradigm of the events that happen in a certain country. India is a free country where it is our democratic right to express freely. Whether this debate will uphold that freedom and integrity is still a question mark.

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