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M.Sc. Mathematics Department Fiasco: Students Failed, Protests Turn Violent

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M.Sc. Mathematics students in DU received their results on 8th February 2019, and have been protesting the large-scale failing since 14th February 2019.

Since 14th February 2019, the students of M.Sc. Mathematics Department of University of Delhi (DU) are protesting against the administration for allegedly failing 35 out of 45 students in the Fluid Dynamics Exam. They further claim that 150 out of 300 students failed the first semester Field Theory paper and 130 out of 300 failed the Measure and Integration paper. The students believe that the reason for this is that the faculty feels that the answers of the questions coming in the exams must be according to the notes by the teachers; the students who referred several books to answer the questions were detained. Apart from this, there are students who have been marked absent though they were present for the exams.

The demands of the students are as follows: Firstly, an independent investigation committee, not comprising of any faculty member of the department to re-evaluate the abovementioned three papers, free of cost. Secondly, each student must be shown the answer-sheet of the exams, be it an internal in-house exam or semester exams. Thirdly, the protesting students want the faculty members to lay more emphasis on research-oriented projects where they are allowed to show creativity instead of the ongoing ‘ruttafication’ culture prevailing in the University. Lastly, they are also demanding that students should be allowed to clear their backlogs through re-examinations within two months after every semester. Currently, students have to wait for a year to sit for the re-examination.

On 20th February 2019, the form of the strike was changed into a relay hunger strike. On the same day, C S Lalitha, HoD of the Mathematics department gave a written assurance to the students to fulfill their demands. She also accepted the demand for a feedback mechanism wherein the students are assigned the power to review the teachers’ performance by grading them. The students also demanded action against the anti-women nature of the department. However, these demands were not met by the administration despite passing of the deadline.

Image Credits: Students of M.Sc. Mathematics department

Image Credits: Students of M.Sc. Mathematics department

The students have also complained of backlogs in the department, from about 370 students taking admission, and only 30% of the students being able to complete the degree exam. They claim that this is because the exams are designed in a way of testing their memory rather than analytical skills. A student informs DU Beat, “Just because I used the variable ‘X’ instead of ‘Y’, my marks were deducted.”

Srijani Kar, a second-year student informs DU Beat, “There are few students in the mathematics department who complete their masters in two years because of evaluation of this kind and wait to clear backlogs and give improvement tests. Students are unable to be eligible for the NET and JRF, they can’t study further, and can’t get scholarships. The final-year students will be stranded.”

On 27th February 2019, the students have also alleged that Professor Prakash Chandra Jha, Dean of Mathematics Department said that an investigation committee checked their papers, and there hasn’t been any increase in marks except that of two to three students. He also asked the students to take INR 10,000 from him and get their papers re-evaluated. A student further adds, “He asked some of us take money from him personally and get our answer scripts re-checked. However, we denied because this fight is for each one of us. He further stated that the answer sheets are ‘confidential’ and cannot be shown to us.”

DU Beat spoke to Professor Jha. He said, “The issue doesn’t fall under my preview. I don’t look after the examination.”

On 1st March, the students staged a protest outside the department for their long standing demands. The protest was organised by Bhagat Singh Chatra Ekta Manch ,Law Students’ Initiative , Democratic Students Union DSU, and was supported by Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students’ Union (AISA), Pinjra Tod, and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan. However, the protest turned violent hurting the students and the security guards. Gajesh Singh, the Chief Security Officer, hurt his leg and fractured his hand in the violence that broke out. According to the students, the department gate was locked by the guard, and when they asked for entry, the guard abused the students. They also allege that the security officers turned violent on the protestors.

Mr. Singh. Chief Security Officer

Mr. Singh, Chief Security Officer

Attack on one of the students. Image Credits: Srijani Kar

However, Gajesh Singh,Chief Security Officer, informs DU Beat that there were around forty to fifty students who wanted to lock CS Lalitha in the department. They had brought locks with them. Singh says, “The students did not inform the administration regarding the protest. They wanted to lock her (the HoD of the department) inside the campus. Humne bacchon ko bola baat karlo madam se, unhone mana kardiya (I asked the students to talk to ma’am, but they refused)” “When I did not allow them to go inside, they started pelting stones on me and the other guards. They brought stones with them. In midst of all this, I fractured my hand. The students also beat up the other guards.” The guards are in the process of filing a FIR against the students.

Bijinder Singh, another guard on duty substantiates the whole incident. He said, “The students’ wanted to lock the HoD inside the department. In the midst of all this, violence broke out.”

DU Beat spoke to Kawalpreet Kaur, Delhi University AISA President. She said, “Delhi Police was seen assaulting the students. The administration had denied meeting the students. If the management doesn’t listen to the student grievances, what will they do? The students are fighting for their rights, and we support them.” On asking her why the protest turned violent when AISA always condemns the use of violence and hooliganism in the University, she added, “The HoD called the security and they beat up the students. We condemn the violence that broke out during the protest. However, the student political wings in the University are there to help the students fight for their rights.”

“SFI also condemns the attack on the democratic space of the University and administrative highhandedness. Again, SFI would like to extend its solidarity with the Maths Faculty of DU”, expressed the SFI press release.

Siddharth Yadav, Delhi State Secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad condemned the same. He said, “We stand by the demands of the students but the way opted for raising the demands must be non- violent. For raising genuine issues, beating security guards, throwing stones, trying to kidnap the teachers must not be the way. Left organisations have started practicing the same which they do in Jawaharlal Nehru University which indeed would not only bring down the weight of the demands but spoil the campus environment as well.”

DU Beat tried contacting C.S. Lalitha, however, she was unavailable to comment.

Image Credits: Anoushka Sharma for DU Beat

Anoushka Sharma

[email protected]

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DUSU Elections 2018

Rise of the Vice

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ABVP bigshot Shakti Singh who served as the Vice President of DUSU assumed the powers of the Presidential office now. Here’s a look at whether this decision is just or unfair.

A fake degree row involving ex-Delhi University Students Union President and Akhil Bhartiya Vidhya Parishad (ABVP) titan, Ankiv Basoiya had showed the first signs of drama after the results of this year’s DUSU elections; a matter that DU Beat covered extensively for the past few months. After Basoiya was removed from the organisation, the top seat of the Union was left empty. To this, representatives of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) had expressed their displeasure on Ankiv Basoiya’s ascendancy to power by crafting a fake degree to get admission in the University of Delhi. The matter was dragged to the High Court which took some time to investigate but eventually dismissed NSUI’s petition. This was followed by the incident in focus which happened day before yesterday. Shakti Singh, the DUSU Vice President from ABVP, took over the President’s office and assumed his powers. However just like every student’s politics issue, this has two narratives.
The Lyndoh Committee and Delhi University Constitution both state in clear terms that re-elections are to be conducted if any such seat of power is left vacant. However, they also state that of re-elections don’t take place, then automatically the Vice President gets the green light to rise in power. Stating this as their justification, Shakti Singh entered the President’s office. Saimon Farooqi, National Secretary of NSUI alleged Shakti and his comrades to have used force to break in and exercise their dominance, without any proper court order. He admits that even after the HC rejected their plea, they accepted the decision and waited for re-elections or appointment of a new candidate.
ABVP however claims that it has not violated any rule and not involved in contempt of court. The High Court order and the Lyngdoh Committee seems to be in favour of their argument. ‘No re-elections had taken place in the last two months. One whole semester had ended and the students of University still had no President. Someone had to come to power and we have done this through democratic means. Now after the present incident, we are waiting for a notice showing the approval from the University administration. The administration has anyway been really lazy in such matters be it with Ankiv or Shakti.’ Monika Chaudhary, the National Media in-charge of the ABVP commented on the statements of NSUI which called Shakti Singh’s methods ‘undemocratic’. She added that it was a planned coming to power and no violence and unfair means were used. ‘If day before yesterday would have been violent, the ABVP itself would have condemned Shakti Singh.’, she said.
So as of now, Shakti Singh still sits in power as President. The administration’s response is yet to be seen. NSUI and their presidential candidate Sunny Chillar are still fuming but it needs to be seen whether the odds will be in their favour or ABVP will exercise its full control over the Union without any obstacles.

 

Feature Image Credits: The Asian Age

Shaurya Singh Thapa 

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Campus Central

Ankiv Baisoya, DUSU President, Suspended by ABVP

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NSUI claims that ABVP is trying to save face before the high court order comes on 20th November 2018.

On 15th November 2018,  Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) asked Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) President Ankiv Baisoya to step down from his post and also suspended him from all the responsibilities of the organisation till the enquiry is completed. Ankiv Baisoya was involved in a fake degree row since his election as the President.

On Monday, 12th November 2018, Justice C. Hari Shankar granted time till 20th November 2018 to University of Delhi (DU) to verify the authenticity of Ankiv’s degree from Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore. The court on 30th October 2018 had granted the University time till 12th November 2018 to authenticate the degree and inform it as the two-month period within which re-election could be held would expire on 13th November.

However, ABVP, in a press release stated that Ankiv’s resignation was necessary to maintain the genuineness of the student organisation. Bharat Khatana, State Secretary of ABVP said, “ABVP is an organisation which is always committed to student’s cause. This incident is continuously tarnishing the image of Delhi University Students’ Union and is also raising a question on student’s mandate. So we request DU administration to complete the verification process as soon as possible and produce the result in public domain. We also condemn the delay done by DU in the whole process as it led to false information. If Ankiv is found guilty then he must face all the legal actions which are expected in this case. ”

Ankiv Baisoya announced his resignation in a Facebook post.

NSUI accuses that the move by ABVP is clearly a decision under pressure and not principle given that the High Court order is likely to be announced on 20th November. “This is an attempt to save whatever ABVP can. They waited for two months in an attempt to keep the DUSU President seat with ABVP instead of asking Ankiv to step down when the matter came to light. ABVP also didn’t set up an enquiry committee of its own. So this decision, at this belated hour, is clearly cynical and cowardly. NSUI has already clarified that Lyngdoh Committee guidelines are advisory and the two month period is also only indicative and not binding on DU. It is also to be noted that legally two months period will be counted from when Ankiv’s fake degree first came into light by NSUI, and not when ABVP decided to remove him. NSUI demands fresh elections. If the University continues to show itself to be servile to the interests of ABVP, we will pursue this matter in Court. Finally, we are confident that Ankiv will have a long and successful career in the BJP given that he was only following in the footsteps of PM Modi and former HRD Minister Smriti Irani, whose degree is also under a cloud,” said NSUI in a press release. 

NSUI will be holding a Press Conference on 16th November which aims to uncover “how DU and ABVP fixed the whole scene”.

Feature Image Credits: Ankiv Baisoya, Facebook

Anoushka Sharma

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DUB News

The Old Man and the ABVP

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A short overview of yet another incident of squandering of free speech, this time the withdrawal of Ramachandra Guha from the Ahmedabad University by the ABVP.

On many an occasion, you would have heard a typical Hindi speaking elder saying ‘koi dudh ka dhula nahi hota hai’.  This means that in this big, bad world, nobody is pure enough to be bathed in milk. The case applies in the current student politics scenario where each faction has some or the other allegation or misdemeanour attached to their name. Recent happenings have pitched the National Students’ Union of India in a battle of words against the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (just another natural phenomenon in the University of Delhi). However, this time, the debate has transcended over state borders and also brought Ahmedabad University in play. The fire was ignited when ABVP openly stated its displeasure towards the teaching of eminent historian Ramachandra Guha at AU. This displeasure soon transformed into the complete withdrawal of Guha’s teaching position from the University in Gujarat.

Back in October, Guha had announced that he was joining the AU for a short period as the Director of the Gandhi Winter School. The history stalwart has authored several books on Indian history and Gandhi along with his other passion, cricket. Over time, he has garnered respect even if his loud words might have brought trouble for him on some occasions. However, the ABVP chose to put him in the shade of the umbrella of the ‘anti-national’, a term that we are hearing a little more than often nowadays. A memorandum was submitted by RSS’s student political body to the varsity’s registrar for the same.

It has been alleged by representatives like Pravin Desai, the Secretary of the Ahmedabad unit of ABVP, that ‘Guha’s oratory and writing skills encourages and inspires in students a mindset that is anti-national. He has done that in JNU and HCU in the past’. Now definitely, some might get motivated with the sparks of rebellion lighting up in campuses like the Jawaharlal Nehru University but there are others too (normal free-thinking citizens apart from the ‘great’ self-acting ABVP) who would not want such rebellious ordeals to take place in this tumultuous country. So, the latter can express their displeasure against authors that might seem too ‘edgy’ or bold for our mindsets. However, this displeasure does not mean intend totally banning writings or removing distinguished scholars from their academic positions, if you think using a non-Orwellian democratic mindset. Alas! RSS’s student wing does not seem to comprehend this mindset as shown from recent events.

Even though Ahmedabad University says Guha has acted on his own decision and not been sacked as such, the NSUI clearly feels that the pressure from the ABVP is the major factor prompting his decision. ‘They are thugs, not students. @Ram_Guha often a trenchant critic of Congress too, but NSUI has never shut down anyone like this’ That’s how NSUI national in-charge Ruchi Gupta addresses Guha’s sacking in AU in her tweet. Again, as mentioned before, no one here is ‘dudh ka dhula’ so we cannot blindly support NSUI in their stance too (considering their ‘great’ record in DU similar to the ABVP).

Is the NSUI just playing the role of a generic opposition and criticising for the sake of criticising or have they actually stood by their opinion of letting free speech grow in a university space in the years they have been in power?  That is for us to decide as citizens of a ‘somewhat free world’.

 

Feature Image Credits: Flipkart Stories

Shaurya Thapa

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DU Admission Panel to Meet on Ankiv Baisoya Case

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In a continuously changing turn of events, Ankiv Baisoya, the elected DUSU President of ABVP, revealed to be registered in Delhi University. In a recent report of The Times of India, the Admission Panel has decided to meet regarding this case after multiple alleged complaints received from rival student political outfits.

Recently brought to light by the NSUI, the elected DUSU President’s degree and education is a bone of contention for the varsity and the media alike. Ever since its inception, the accusation has caught the President in a a state of questionable merit, literally. The fiasco surrounding his alleged fake degree from the Thiruvalluvar University in Vellore has found strength to discredit Baisoya’s election. In an interesting revelation, Baisoya has been found to be a student of Delhi University’s College of Vocational Studies for the session 2013-2016, exactly the duration of his studying in Thiruvalluvar University.

 

Marksheet

Documents accessed by Newslaundry claim the truth of this statement. In the attendance sheet of students of the fifth and sixth semester  of B.A. Economics (Honors), Baisoya is enlisted with his roll number 90, in CVS.

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Despite never having attended any class for the two papers ‘International Trade’ and ‘Political Economy’ as indicated by the attendance sheet, Baisoya’s name enlisted as a student is a legitimate verification of his association with the college. The faculty and others also vouched for the President’s relationship with CVS. As told to Newslaundry, “I remember him because he had a rather peculiar name,” said one of the professors from the Economics Department. Another professor from the Political Science Department vouched for Baisoya’s active political indulgence even during college. Baisoya, himself, has retained his ambiguity with his correspondence, evading questions completely or giving bleary answers like, “that university which is being referred” (TU).

 

Monika Chaudhary, National Media Coordinator for ABVP, accepted that Ankiv Baisoya was a student of CVS during 2013-2016. “He withdrew his admission in 2016,” she said. “His case doesn’t fall under the dual degree case.” She went on to claim that Baisoya had studied from both DU and TU, 1000 kms apart. She said that Ankiv made a “mistake” and had withdrawn his admission from DU in 2016. She also assured of sharing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the DU administration.

Baisoya claims that during the said three years, he travelled frequently from Delhi to Vellore.

Since 17 September, after NSUI’s initial claim that Baisoya’s TU degree is fraudulent, popular media publications have been roped in by the TU’s acceptance that indeed the supplied marksheets and documents are fake. In a quote to a TV channel, Baisoya said “the allegations were false and baseless,” and that he was going to file a defamation case against the NSUI.

A letter acknowledging the same fabrication has surfaced. Speaking to a leading daily, controller of examinations at the University said, “This letter has been sent from our controller’s office. It has been signed by the controller. The certificate is without a doubt fake.”

Amid all this, when Baisoya was asked his date of graduating from TU, he seemed lost in history. If the degree is fake, how can Baisoya be a student of two universities – DU and TU both? This is a clear violation of law and norms. The principal of DU’S CVS College, Dr Inderjeet Dagar propagates silence, indefinitely. What follows next for the ABVP and Baisoya himself remains to be seen. The judgement awaits, and so does welfare.

 

Feature Image Credits: Newslaundry

 

Kartik Chauhan

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NSUI Alleges Ankiv Baisoya Submitted Fake Documents for University Admission

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The newly-elected DUSU President, Ankiv Baisoya of ABVP has been accused of furnishing a fake certificate from Thiruvalluvar University for securing admission in MA in Buddhist Studies in Delhi University.

Ankiv ABVP
Ankiv Baisoya, DUSU President 2018-19. Image Credits – Jagran Josh

 

On Tuesday, 18th September 2018, National Students Union of India(NSUI) questioned the admission of the newly elected Delhi University Student’s Union (DUSU) President, Ankiv Bisoya of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). It was alleged that Ankiv submitted fake documents to get admission in the University of Delhi.

Certificate
Letter released by Thiruvalluvar University. Image Credits – NSUI

NSUI released a letter from the Controller of Examinations of Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore. The letter stated that Ankiv’s BA certificate is fake and not genuine. According to NSUI, they received the letter from internal sources. The NSUI said that Baisoya had presented a mark sheet for admission to the MA (Buddhist Studies) course, but Thiruvalluvar University clearly refused they had enrolled a student of such name, and a mark sheet of that serial number was not in their records.

On contacting NSUI regarding the same, Saimon Farooqui, National Secretary of NSUI said, “We got hold of this document through internal sources. The State President of Tamil Nadu NSUI helped us to procure the document. It’s not surprising to see ABVP get into such dirty politics, the same is the case with their parent party (Bhartiya Janta Party-BJP). We will be seeking legal advice and also plan to meet the Delhi University officials regarding the same.” Lairab Neyazi, National Media Co-coordinator of NSUI added that this is a huge matter of concern. He said, “How can he become the DUSU President when the certificates are not authentic? We will file a complaint on this.”

Marksheet
Marksheet released by Thiruvalluvar University. Image credits – NSUI

However, ABVP refutes any such allegation. They term this as propaganda of NSUI. DU Beat contacted Monika Chaudhary, National Media Convener of ABVP. She said, “ NSUI is not able to digest the fact that they have lost the DUSU elections, they are spreading propaganda’s every other day like the Electronic Voting Machine issue and now questioning Ankiv’s degree. Delhi University gave admission to Ankiv Baisoya after due verification of its documents. It’s the process of DU. Even today DU has all the right to verify documents of any student enrolled in university. But it’s not the job of NSUI to provide certificates to any person. DU has all the right to verify documents of not only Ankiv but all DUSU office bearers to stop rumors in future.”

Speaking to DU Beat, Baisoya said, “The allegations are all false. NSUI is finding new ways since they could not achieve success with the EVMs. Also, the letter is dated 7th September 2018 and elections took place on 12th September 2018. Why did NSUI take so much time to disclose the document? I have reservations on the language used in the document. This letter released by them is fake and I would just like to tell everyone that I am the DUSU President.”

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NSUI tried to further legitimise their claim by sharing a photo of the envelope, with the University stamp clearly visible. Image Credits – NSUI

On questioning NSUI as to why the document was released 11 days after procurement from Thiruvalluvar University, they said that they received the letter by post and therefore it took time to disclose the fake degree. They also provided DU Beat with a photograph of the envelope that apparently contained the letter, which has a prominent stamp from the University. 

 

Update:

Earlier the Controller of Thiruvalluvar University clarified promptly on the fake degree of Ankiv Baisoya, followed by the cross-checking by reputed media houses. Saimon Farooqui, National Secretary of the NSUI, commented on the matter saying, “Today, the Registrar of Thiruvalluvar University has again clarified to the deaf and dumb DU Administration about the fake degree of Ankiv Baisoya. Despite of this, the DU Administration is acting in a biased manner on purpose by removing Admission officer and delaying the process by different means to slow down the course of action, hence favouring ABVP.

e0b4b44b-bd45-4eb1-82bb-10f95528fd43
Image Credits – NSUI

 

The NSUI came out with the following demands;
1. The Declaration of  Sunny Chhillar as the DUSU President with immediate effect.

2. The Arrest of Ankiv Baisoya for deceiving the students of DU and DU administration by means of misrepresentation and fraud.

DU Beat is attempting to contact ABVP representatives for their comment on the matter, Updates will be posted promptly.

Feature Image Credits: Jagran Josh

Anoushka Sharma

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Uncategorized

Plea Challenging DUSU Election Results Moves to High Court

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Three candidates from NSUI filed a plea in the Delhi High Court on how privately procured EVMs were used in the DUSU elections held on 12th September 2018.

On 17th September 2018, three candidates of National Students’ Union of India had moved the High Court challenging the elections on the grounds that voting machines were allegedly tampered with. The candidates were Sunny Chillar, Leena, and Saurabh Yadav who contested for the post of President, Vice President and Joint Secretary respectively in the Delhi University Students Union(DUSU) Elections 2018. The candidates questioned how privately procured Electronic Voting Machines(EVM) were used in the DUSU elections and how data from seven EVMs had allegedly gone missing.

NSUI Protest Sunday
Plea Moved in High Court Challenging Results of DUSU Elections

The counting of votes was stopped on 13th September 2018 for an hour when there were allegations of faulty EVMs. However, following the protests on the same day the counting was suspended. But it resumed in the evening after an elaborate discussion and agreement by the candidates.  A statement was issued by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Delhi. It said that the EVMs used in the DUSU elections were not issued to University of Delhi by them. The State Election Commission also clarified that they did not allot any EVMs to the University. It was said that the University had privately procured the EVMs.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal questioned the Election Commission over the privately sourced EVMs used in the DUSU elections. Taking it to the micro-blogging site Twitter, he tweeted, “From where can you procure EVMs privately? Doesn’t ECI claim that no one can manufacture or buy or sell EVMs privately? Isn’t anyone found in possession of EVMs without EC’s permission guilty of the criminal offence?” NSUI also staged a protest regarding the same on 15th September 2018 in the Arts Faculty, University of Delhi.

Letter (1)
Letter issued by the office of Chief Election Officer, Delhi. Source – Twitter

Responding to this, the High Court judge Justice Siddharth Mridul has directed the University of Delhi to keep secure the EVMs used in the DUSU elections along with paper trial and other documentation.

DU Beat contacted Sunny Chillar, NSUI candidate who stood for the post of President in DUSU elections. He said, “The High Court agreed to what we said and has given a stay on the same. Whatever happened on the day of vote counting was wrong and should not have happened. The choice of the students was different- It was Sunny Chillar from the beginning. We stand against the wrong and the fraud that took place. We will stand for the students and their rights irrespective of the fact that we win or lose in the elections.”

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Anoushka Sharma

[email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Violence breaks out in ZHDC (Evening) on Monday

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Members of ABVP allegedly assaulted students and staff and vandalised property in Zakir Hussain Delhi College  (Evening) on Monday.

On Monday, September 10th, 2018, the last day of campaigning for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU), members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) allegedly vandalised property at Zakir Hussain Delhi College (Evening) and assaulted the students and staff.

In a letter to the chairman of the Grievance Redressal cell DUSU 2018, condemning the vandalism, Akshay Lakra, President of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) demanded the cancellation of the nomination of the ABVP Vice Presidential Candidate, Shakti Singh, who had gone to ZHC for campaigning when the violence broke out.

“This is a calculated attempt by ABVP to intimidate students through violence in the run up to the DUSU polls. The ABVP nominee for DUSU’s Vice President’s post entered the campus with a group of outsiders and terrorised the entire college by going on a rampage with blades, hockey sticks, and rocks,” wrote Lakra in the letter.

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Image credits – Indian Express

College principal Masroor Ahmad Baig was quoted by the Indian Express as saying,”I don’t know how it started, but I was shocked to hear the commotion. They vandalised college property, broke chairs and threw flower pots. It was ABVP activists who beat up students; they even hit girls and staff.”

DCP (central) Mandeep Singh Randhawa, said, “Police personnel were present at the spot when the incident took place and they controlled the crowd. No complaint has been received from the college administration.” The violence was condemned by other student outfits contesting the polls and police action was demanded. An anonymous letter to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kamla Nagar claims that the main motive behind the incident was to insight and arise violence in the premises in the name of campaigning.

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Image credits – NSUI

A student of the college claimed Singh was stopped when he tried to enter with a large group of supporters. “He was told that he could take a few supporters for campaigning. They got angry and started breaking college property, and passed lewd comments,” alleged the student, who did not want to be identified. “The whole incident was so scary. I try to avoid college at this time of the year and I’m glad that I took a leave that day,” says a second year student of ZHC who wished to remain anonymous.

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Image credits – NSUI

Indian Express quoted the ABVP national media convenor Monika Chaudhary as, “We have not been able to communicate with Singh. But the ones indulging in violence are not ABVP activists. Singh had gone to campaign in the college… what we know is that fight broke out between two student groups.”

Feature Image Credits: Anonymous

Muskan Sethi

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NSUI Alleges that ABVP Copied their Manifesto ahead of DUSU Elections

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ABVP, in its defense, claims that NSUI has done no work in the past year, and is therefore looking for ways to demean the party.

With Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections just a couple of days away, major party National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) alleged that rival Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) stole their election manifesto.

NSUI’s manifesto had the proposition of subsidized food for DU students, which promised a complete meal thali at the meagre amount of Rs. 10. The same was allegedly seen on ABVP’s manifesto.

Saimon Farooqi, National Media Secretary of NSUI, said that their national handle has some posters and their corresponding dates are given. He added that on checking ABVP’s posters, the same designs and points can be seen, but with a later date.

What is also a shared point between the two parties is ‘the Institute of Eminence’, wherein, if a university is chosen, added funds of Rs. 1000 crore are allocated to them. Had DU been given these funds, the current budget of Rs 1100 crore would almost be doubled and would amount to Rs. 75,000 extra spent per student. This would ensure better facilities for them. Both the manifestos claimed to make DU the next Institute of Eminence. NSUI also says that there have been reports of the Prime Minister’s Office’s (PMO’s) involvement in the decision.

According to NSUI, ABVP’s manifesto has given themselves credit for writing off GST on sanitary pads, but a change petition was run by Sushmita Dev, National President of Mahila Congress on which she got half a million signatures. The petition was handed over to Arun Jaitley, the Minister of Finance and was thereby written off.

“ABVP is following Copy-cat politics. They are copying NSUI, whether it is about the points in our manifesto or the design of our poster”, told Farooqi to a DU Beat correspondent.

Jyoti Chaudhary, Joint Secretary ABVP, said that the work for writing off GST on sanitary napkins was done by Mahameda Nagar. When asked about the thaali, she said that it was never included in ABVP manifesto because it is not possible to provide food on such low rates. ‘Only the manifesto of those who have actually done work is stolen,’ Chaudhary said. ‘What will we do with the manifesto of those who have done nothing in the past year?’

Besides these, the shared points include fee reduction, provision of hostels for all colleges in vacant lands around the campuses, Delhi metro and DTDC student passes, study room facilities, etc.  However, it can also be argued, that issues like these are universal to the students of the Delhi University and not limited to one party.

Feature Image Credits – DU Beat
Maumil Mehraj

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DUSU Elections 2018

ABVP’s Election Manifesto Reading in Miranda House ends in a Debacle

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Yesterday, the ABVP read out its election manifesto in Miranda House. However, they had to leave soon as they were shamed off the stage by the audience.

In what was a short session for the representatives of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), there was huge uproar in Miranda House today over their manifesto reading for the DUSU elections. The manifesto reading started with a representative of ABVP who initially claimed that he was Ankiv Baisoya, the Presidential candidate of the ABVP. However, when it was found out that he wasn’t Ankiv Baisoya, the Students’ Union of Miranda House admonished the ABVP for lying about their candidate. The representative, whose name we couldn’t find, gave the justification that he was representing Ankiv Baisoya. However, the students refused to listen to him after that, even when he attempted to argue that free speech should be protected especially in Miranda House.

Sudhir Dedha, the ABVP’s candidate for the post of General Secretary, started campaigning by mentioning his ballot numbers, although due to the booing that happened, he was soon cut off. A student asked him about the recent comments made by Shri Niwas, the National Joint Organising Secretary, in a rally about the colleges of Ramjas College, Hindu College, Miranda House, and Kirori Mal College being ’hubs of Naxalism’ to which Mr. Dedha replied, “We won’t tolerate those who say Bharat ke tukde honge, inshallah! (Bharat will be broken up, inshallah)”. This generated even more uproar in the auditorium.

Mr. Dedha was also asked about the recent ban in two books by Nandini Sundar and Archana Prasad on the charges that these had “sympathy towards the Naxalite movement”. He replied, “If any book is claiming that Bhagat Singh is a terrorist, we don’t think such books should be there (in the syllabus).”

Notably, Archana Prasad’s book is called “Against Ecological Romanticism: Verrier Elwin and the Making of an Anti-modern Tribal identity” while Nandini Sundar’s book is called “Subalterns and Sovereigns: An Anthropological History of Bastar”. Neither of the books mention anything about Bhagat Singh.

Sudhir Dedha remained unavailable for comment when DU Beat attempted to contact him.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Sara Sohail

[email protected]

 

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