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The repeating points in manifestos every year in DUSU Elections

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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.
Feature Image Credits: PV Purnima for DU Beat
Ananya Bhardwaj
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DUSU Elections 2017

“DU Demands” Protest March by AISA for Accommodation, Metro Passes, and Non Violence

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On 22nd August 2017, the All India Students Association (AISA) conducted a march called “DU Demands” in North Campus, University of Delhi. Kawalpreet Kaur, the organisation’s President at the DU level, said, “There are three central purposes behind the march – the problem of accommodation, violence, and the demand for the reestablishment of university special buses and metro passes to make travel easier for students of Delhi University”.

Kaur stressed upon the fact that there is a severe lack of hostels in Delhi University and reiterated that a no-tolerance policy must be implemented in DU against violence, referring to the Ramjas incident where numerous students were hurt due to violence from the involvement of several political parties in February 2017. She also laid emphasis on the immense cost incurred by DU students who travel from a large distance to their respective colleges and how the introduction of university special buses and special metro passes could contribute to solve this problem. Through this march, AISA wanted to make these demands known to the Vice Chancellor of Delhi University.

The march began at the Arts Faculty at 1 p.m., where over 100 students had gathered from both off-campus and on-campus colleges like Deshbandhu College, Kirori Mal College, Miranda House, etc. to show their support. The students carried AISA banners that had the three demands mentioned on them. Kawalpreet Kaur addressed the gathering where she reiterated the purpose of their meeting and motivated the students to raise slogans and march with them. The students then proceeded towards Ramjas College where they went inside the campus and raised several slogans like “DUSU ka itehaas badal do“,  “Dekho kaise garaj ke aaya AISA AISA, Bhagat Singh ka naya roop hai AISA”, “Vice Chancellor khabardar“, “Hostel ke liye kon ladega: AISA”, “Hostel ka adhikar maangte, nahi kissi se bheek maangte“.

During the march, the students also raised several slogans against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) by chanting “Gundagardi nahi sahenge, pathar maaro nahi sahenge, inqalab zindabad, ABVP haye-haye“.

Rupal Anand, a student of Ramjas College said, “The march by AISA was a great disruption to our classes as they were shouting very loudly.” From Ramjas, the march continued towards Hindu College and ended at Kirori Mal College.

 

Image Credits: P.V. Purnima for DU Beat

Bhavya Banerjee
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DUB News

“They called me an anti-national slut” – AISA President alleges harassment by ABVP members at Satyawati College

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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.

Image Credits: News Nation

Oorja Tapan

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Campus Central

“Harmony Shall Win”: Poetry March on streets of Delhi University North Campus

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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.”

Image Credits: Hindustan Times

 

Sandeep Samal

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Uncategorized

Ramjas Incident: Videos featuring anti-national slogans found to be ‘Fake’

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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.

Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Rashim Bagga

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Ramjas College

DU tense with stifled protests; protestors assaulted and detained

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The north campus of the University of Delhi was tense on February 22 with violence breaking out inside the Ramjas College campus, outside the college, and later in the evening in front of the Maurice Nagar police station. After the violent intervention by the ABVP of an academic conference in Ramjas College on February 21, a common students and teachers protest was set to take place the next day, on February 22, against the intervention. ABVP’s reason for obstructing the conference was the presence of Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid, JNU students, who were amongst the speakers at the conference. Umar Khalid was arrested on sedition charges in 2016, however no charge sheet has been filed in the case yet.

February 22, 2017:

The common students teachers march was scheduled to start at 1 p.m. but was blocked by he ABVP. Before the march, as an extra security measure, guards at Ramjas College checked ID cards to ensure that only students of the college were allowed to enter. What was supposed to be a peaceful march around the campus was cut off by the ABVP as they began shouting slogans like “Bharat Maata ki jai” and ” Vande Mataram” in the sutta lane within the Ramjas College campus. In response, the student and teacher protestors sat down and began their own chants of “Hum honge kaamyaab ek din” on a lawn adjacent to the ABVP gathering. Within a few minutes of this standoff, members of ABVP were seen entering into the lawn space where the students were gathered. There are eyewitness accounts and videos floating on social media of the ABVP activists beating, shoving, and grabbing the students gathered. The police intervened immediately and the students shifted towards the canteen premises.

The protest march being blocked by ABVP activists and supporters
The protest march being blocked by ABVP activists and supporters

A large gathering of students sat down in front of the canteen and under the conference hall. Reports came in of a large number of protesters consisting of students, teachers and activists gathered outside the college gates. Students and teachers who were inside the college sat down in silent protest. The police tried to form a barrier between the two groups. The ABVP activists repeatedly tried to break the barrier and attack the students. Fearing escalating violence, the police escorted the students out through the back gate where they were transported to the metro station in Civil Lines.

Meanwhile, outside the college, students and teachers who had congregated for the protest march, and journalists covering the issue, encountered ABVP activists. There are videos and evidence of students and faculty members being injured during this encounter. Around this time, roads leading to the Maurice Nagar police station were blocked by the police and shopkeepers around Patel Chest area were asked to bring down their shutters. The protest reached the Maurice Nagar police station area after 3 p.m., where police had been deployed to keep the violence from escalating and forming a barrier between the two sides. The protesters placed themselves outside the police station, demanding that an FIR be lodged against the violence committed by the ABVP. Slogans like “Aar ho ya paar ho, aaj FIR ho” were heard from the protesters’ sides.

Protestors in front of Maurice Nagar police station on February 22
Protestors in front of Maurice Nagar police station on February 22

At around 6.30 p.m., just after protesters were speaking to the police about their demands, a commotion broke out as the police surrounding the protesters started absconding them, in some cases with unnecessary force. The protesters were rounded up in police buses and taken to different corners of the city in an attempt to break up the protest on campus. They were dropped off later in the evening. There were reports and rumours of a potential ‘witch-hunt’ by ABVP members around the campus in search of people at the protests. No such incidents were confirmed.

February 23, 2017:

Another peaceful protest was organised today by the students and teachers at the Delhi Police Headquarters in ITO with heavy police presence around the area. Hundreds of students attended the protest, where sloganeering was heard and protest signs could be seen condemning the police brutality against student protesters yesterday. An exit gate at the ITO metro station was closed around noon. The protesters pushed for an FIR to be lodged and for a meeting with the police officials. After meeting with the students, who wanted separate FIRs to be lodged against the ABVP members who engaged in violence, the police informed them that separate FIRs cannot be lodged and they would need to be clubbed under one FIR. The student protesters then took the decision to have affected students write down testimonies of violence committed against them, with which they’ll approach other authorities given the contention between their demands and the police’s stance.

The police has admitted to the use of excessive force against students on February 22nd. The case related to the entire incident has been transferred to the Crime Branch. They also invited students to submit their complaints to the police which can then be clubbed together.

The student protesters are reportedly upset about the incident being branded an ABVP-AISA clash and the protesters being clubbed together as AISA members. They have called these protests movements by the students and teachers of Delhi University, and not a political party. The protesters comprised of students from across Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and other institutions across Delhi, with supporters of various movements and parties, and many with no political affiliations.

There were other protests in North Campus as well, with NSUI carrying out their peace march from the Arts Faculty to the Maurice Nagar police station, and the ABVP continuing their stance of protesting against ‘anti-national’ activities and elements. There were reports of considerable police presence around the campus.

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AISA’s public meeting disrupted by ABVP; latter alleges provocation as the cause of the scuffle

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A public meeting organised by the All India Students’ Association (AISA) on the ‘Idea of University’ at the Arts Faculty, North Campus on Thursday was disrupted by the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). The event was attended by over 300 students and featured eminent scholars from different fields.

Sources claim that the event’s organisation was allowed on the condition that microphones wouldn’t be used. The police were quick enough to provide adequate security apparatus for the event. An AISA activist, on the condition of anonymity claims that the entire process of getting permission spanned over weeks and was onerous. “In the wake of UDAAN, the theatre festival organised at the Arts Faculty to instill ‘the feeling of nationalism among students’, we approached the authorities for organising an event to sustain the liberal atmosphere of the varsity. They out rightly denied permission”, claims the activist. AISA alleges that the authorities asked them to ‘furnish money’ for booking the venue.

On the day of the event, as preparations were in full swing, university officials, accompanied by security guards began tearing down posters and banners inside the compound, where the left leaning student organisation was about to hold the event. For the first time, AISA was holding an event inside the walls of the faculty, a shift from their usual location of organising protests and holding meetings – the Arts Faculty gate.

An understanding was successfully reached between the organisers and the authorities through the mediation of the Maurice Nagar SHO Arti Sharma, who promised adequate security and assured of keeping ‘incendiary elements at bay’. The authorities were wary of ‘elements that might stir conflict’ and disturb the academic space. Reportedly, an AISA member was cautioned by a police official into hosting Mohit Pandey, president of the JNU Students’ Union, who was one of the speakers. Consequently,the JNUSU President didn’t attend the event.

Amid chances of backlash against the event, the police deployed security personals in considerable numbers. CRP units were also seen outside the faculty gate.

The event finally started just past noon with the AISA presidential candidate 2016 Kawalpreet Kaur addressing the 250 plus strong gathering of students and scholars. As the event progressed, talks by Anup Dhar from Ambedkar University, Soumyabrata Choudhury from Arts and Aesthetics, JNU and Satish Deshpande from the Delhi School of Economics discussed various aspects of university as a concept and its relevance in the modern world. Dhar talked about his recent article for a daily where he’d compared the situation of the student community in the higher education in India to the parrots in Rabindranath Tagore’s The Parrot’s Training. The story revolves around certain parrots kept in a ‘golden cage’ where they are ‘educated’. Their education is deemed successful once they learn to keep mum and be submissive. Soumyabrata Choudhury invoked the principals propounded by Ambedkar – Educate, Agitate and Organise and went on to say that “the idea of university is that you can have ideas. Those who are resistant to ideas make the loudest noise.”

ABVP members were seen standing on the pavement bordering the lawns where the meeting was taking place. Slogans condemning the attempt at ‘radicalising the conducive environment of the university’ through the event were hurled at the gathering. Soon enough, the ABVP mobilised outside the main gate only to return in more numbers and run a parallel protest. Members were seen carrying posters calling on AISA to leave the varsity – Rapist AISA Go Back. What ensued next surprised many. Some ABVP members, much to the amazement of the gathering and the ABVP leadership that was present at the protest, started ‘pelting’ Lux soaps at the gathering. Kawalpreet, in a statement claims that the soaps were thrown at them to ‘cleanse them of all the vice, as if Bharat Mata needs to be kept clean and tidy’. When some AISA members registered protest with the police, the SHO was seen hurling one of the soaps back at the ABVP members.

The AISA gathering saw address by Usman from ASEAK which spearheaded the right to reproduction of academic material in The Chancellor Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford v. Rameshwari Photocopy Services case. Situation became tense as Kavita Krishnan, president of All India Progressive Women’s Association came forward to speak. Two ABVP female members were seen percolating the human chain maintained by the 50 plus strong police officials; they advanced towards Krishnan, who at the right time managed to dodge them. Subsequently, DUSU president Amit Tanwar was seen advancing towards the gathering and a scuffle broke between the two sides leaving Kawalpreet injured. Many members, including this writer were ‘roughed up’ in the clashes and the police, attempted at bringing tempers down by insinuating  at using legal action against members of both the sides. Flyers and posters carrying pictures of Rohith Vemula and Najeeb Ahmed, the missing JNU student were brought down by the ABVP members. Unable to control the situation, the SHO appeared helpless, as another officer took charge, fearing altercation between the two sides. Amid din that saw sloganeering from both the sides, a final warning sounded through a microphone asking both the sides to exercise restraint and disperse, failing which coercive measures were to be exercised by the police and paramilitary units.

AISA members dispersed and called off the meeting. Cries of victory could be heard from the other side. While ABVP members also consequently left the scene, AISA regrouped at the gate on the other side to discuss the heckling of Krishnan and the disruption of the event. Kawalpreet, who had sustained injuries during the clashes, addressed the gathering.

The ABVP has claimed that DUSU president Tanwar and many others were injured and taken to hospitals and that the scuffle broke on provocation by some AISA members. Both the sides have been circulating their side of the story on social media. The authorities denied commenting on the issue.

Image Credits: DU Beat database

Sidharth Yadav

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Arts Faculty

Tensions rise in North Campus as ABVP and AISA clash, political blame game ensues

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The political tension between the Student Union parties has reached a new high at a meeting today organized by the All India Students’ Association (AISA). An open meeting was organized at The Arts Faculty, University of Delhi on Thursday, October 27th 2016 to facilitate a productive discussion concerning the idea of ‘Freedom of Expression.’ With a slogan of Don’t Cage our Ideas, Don’t cage our Universities, the Idea of University saw speakers with ideologies of promoting an egalitarian environment, supporting free expression and thought. However, the event took a stark turn with reports chiming in about the chaotic clash between the right and the left wing, turning into a pure he said-she said controversy.

AISA’s take

AISA’s account of what transpired at the Arts Faculty today is diametrically different to what ABVP has conveyed. The event was scheduled for today, 12 pm onwards and the organising entities had already been subjected to the hostile attitude of the administration who created a fuss regarding the payment factor, and moved on to allow the placement of the event with the terms that there will be no usage of mics. It saw a gathering of about 250-300 people and about 2:30 the sloganeering began with slogans like ‘Rapist AISA’, ‘Laal Gulaani Chod ke, bolo Vande Mataram’, ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. As ABVP was within the premises and holding a parallel event, they reportedly began hurling ‘lux soaps’ at the AISA activists, which AISA presidential candidate, Kawalpreet Kaur, interprets as, “The ‘soap’ meant that I need to clean myself, my mind and my body and passed sexist comments on me. As if a ‘BHARAT MATA’ should be well groomed and tidy.” The first act of violence was then followed by a full-fledged disruption led by the DUSU President, Amit Tanwar who resorted to physical violence against the activists along with members of his community. The left wing members were also assaulted with rape threats and physical aggression, as the Delhi Police consisting of almost 50 people, reportedly failed to control the mob. An AISA activist who was present at the event said, “The ABVP has once again proven its intolerance for a free and uncaged student community. We have been subjected to various hindrances, starting right from the administration with their discriminatory policy to the stark insecurity of the ABVP with the voice of dissent. Showers of stones and anti-national slogans were tossed at us, however, we are yet to be dissuaded from waging a just fight.”

ABVP’s take

In the hours between 1pm to 3pm, ABVP claims to have conducted a human chain protest in the Arts Faculty, North Campus to protest against the increasing communal atmosphere across the university. It is reported that a female activist of ABVP was hurled a stone at by a member of AISA, who then purposely began the scuffle and the consequent attack. AISA members then proceeded to toss casteist smears and abuses on the ABVP members, which was termed as an act of publicity. Three members of the ABVP community, DUSU President Amit Tanwar, Jyoti and Harshita were reportedly attacked and taken to the hospital. There were also reports of a journalist who provoked the ABVP members with slogans and later falsely claimed that he had sustained injuries. The ABVP activists are also said to have borne the brunt of the police who beat them up. ABVP claims that the event organized by AISA, The Idea of University, was illegally executed as it lacked the pre-requisite of a prior permission.

The versions of both the parties share no common ground, and are being circulated across the social media with pictures and videos as evidences for both the sides. The clash has come after rising strains between the two wings; one, condemning the spreading of communist ideas, and the other, lobbying for the freedom of expression and ideas in this vast area of education.

Update: Videos later emerged on AISA’s page, showing ABVP members charging towards the AISA gathering for the Idea of a University event.

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Miranda House

ABVP gets questioned intensely at the manifesto reading in Miranda House

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Miranda House organised the manifesto reading session of their students union as well as the DU students union elections, on 6th of September. Students showed overwhelming support for All India Students Association (AISA) and Students Federation of India while ABVP was questioned regressively.

The manifesto reading witnessed a huge turnout. Candidates standing for the post of MH students union read out their Manifestoes and answered a plethora of questions from students.

This was followed by manifesto readings of the Presidential candidates for DUSU from various parties. Kawalpreet Kaur, AISA’s presidential candidate hit a chord with the students and received an overwhelming support.  She was questioned later for the allegations of rape against Anmol Ratan, one of AISA’s members from JNU. She condemned the act and appreciated the fact that their party took a strong position against one of their own and had even requested immediate arrest.

DU-ABVP’s president, Abhishek Verma came next in the line to read out his party’s manifesto. The audience starting pitching questions at him as soon as he took to the podium. In fact, the functional college union had to control and convince students into listening to ABVP’s manifesto first.

As soon as the ABVP manifesto was over, students started questioning the party’s ideology and it’s position on the issues of dissent, debate and especially gender.  Allegations such as instances of eve teasing, the harassment of two Quint Journalist and Pinjra Tod activists by members of ABVP, among others were directed against the party.

SFI’s presidential candidate, Navjeet Punia, who is also a student at Miranda House, addressed the audience later and was received well.

Polling for both DUSU and MHSU elections will be held in Miranda House on 9th of September.

DU Beat wishes all the candidates a very Good Luck!

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Students join AISA’s hunger strike: Hostel Satyagrah

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A mass hunger strike, ‘Hostel Satyagrah’ was organised under AISA’s “A Room of My Own” program near Arts Faculty on 26th and 27th of August. Students from around 30 colleges across Delhi University participated to demand the availability of more hostels, rent regulation and rent allowances. The hunger strike was a part of a campaign started by AISA (All India Students Association). More than 20,000 students had given their feedback on postcards distributed by AISA earlier this month.  The postcards were submitted to the DU Vice Chancellor and a demands memorandum was submitted to the Principals of around 20 colleges.

In addition to students, a number of intellectuals, artists, poets and theatre groups joined in support of the movement. Alongside the hunger strike, various other events were organised. The events included lectures by Prof Nandini Sundar (Sociology Dept DU), Dr P K Vijyan (Hindu College) and Anil Chamadia.

On the ‘Idea of University’ Professor Nandini said, “The need for hostels is not only for a cheap accommodation but rather it should be linked to an idea of a closed campus where students live and share their ideas throughout day and night. One must link it to freedom of living and sharing academic ideas.”

By addressing the issue through the lense of ‘Una Movement and Dalit Upsurge’, Anil Chamadia added a crucial perspective. “ The movement for hostels is necessary for the students coming from reserved category and financial weaker sections of the society. There is an attempt by the government to make the campuses elite to exclude people coming from the lower sections of the society from coming to campus. One must link this struggle inside campus to the struggle going in Una”, he said.

The event also witnessed some cultural performances by by Hirawal (People’s Band from Patna), Sangwari (Resistance Cultural Group) and Moksha (Aurobindo Theater Group).

According to Sudhanshu Shekhar, President of DU AISA,” The ABVP which is winning all posts in DUSU from the past two years has not only overlooked the issue of accommodation for DU students but rather it openly advertises for private PGs and private hostels. We are positive that DU students will stand with us this time saying no to ABVP which has completely failed on this issue.” The issues related to accommodations is likely to be one of the main agendas of AISA in the upcoming DUSU elections.

Featured image credits: Tooba Towfiq for DU Beat

Tooba Towfiq
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