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NSUI to Send Peace Petition to the President

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Owing to the aftermath of multiple incidents of violence against student fraternity, National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) is all set to deliver a peace petition campaign to Ram Nath Kovind, President of India.

On 25 January 2020, NSUI has initiated a ‘peace petition campaign’, requesting the honourable President of India Mr Ram Nath Kovind for his involvement, to aid mediation. This is done in the wake of the upsurge of violence and unjust brutality that is unleashed on University campuses like Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) ,Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) ,etc to name a few.

The NSUI made an official statement and said it “condemns violence by individuals affiliated with a particular ideology and failures on the part of the state machinery.” This was reported by The Times of India. 

It has also hinted towards the 5th January violence that terrorized JNU where a bunch of masked miscreants entered the University campus with rods, bottled acid, etc to spread hooliganism and terror. The NSUI, while alluding to this attack stated the worry over escalating violence on students of universities pan India.

Saimon Farooqui, National Secretary, NSUI  told DU Beat, “because of the violence that has been caused by the right wing

political parties and their student wings, a feeling of terror has been instilled in the students of the campus.” He further added, “NSUI being a responsible Students’ Union, has followed the guidelines given by the Constitution of India.”

When asked upon as to what the primary objective boils down to, he said, “we want a discourse and a dialogue to take place within the campus unlike violence carried out by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP),” he further added, “the reason why we are sending for the President is because he is the ‘visitor’ for central universities in India which makes him the visitor for Delhi University as well, and therefore such a matter is worthy of his attention.” 

Deepender Singh Hooda who’s the former Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha from Rohtak, took the lead and signed the very first petition.

According to NSUI, the campaign will witness about one thousand written petitions for them to be sent to the President.

The use of petitions for social causes have been gaining quite a momentum these days. Quite popular ones for Climate Change and justice for rape victims made numerable rounds. Although there are some qualms about the success rates of petitions as a solution,since it doesn’t always end up in aiding to achieve the requisite demands and actions. However, there is no denying the fact that through petitions, students have found themselves to be empowered in recent times.

 

Featured Image Credits: Hindustan Times
Umaima Khanam 

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Campus Central

DU Student Protesters Attacked in Arts Faculty

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University of Delhi (DU) students organised a protest in the Arts Faculty of the university on 16th November, in solidarity with Jamia Milia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University.

 

The Political Science department of the Delhi University (DU) decided to boycott today’s exam. In the protest, the crowd could be heard chanting slogans like, “Amit Shah, Istifa Do” and “DU Prashasan Murdabad”. But, as the protest grew, the police were called in. The protest shifted from the Social Science building’s entrance to down the stairs where the police then began to manhandle students.

Although the police tried to snatch away the phones of the people recording, videos of the police manhandling the students chanting these slogans surfaced online. In one video, the policemen were dragging the All India Students’ Association (AISA) Presidential Candidate for Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) 2018, Abhigyan, while the student away while the crowd was chanting.

The police constables were allegedly heard saying “10 minutes mein sabka kaam khatam, ABVP bulaye hai abhi. (everything will end in 10 minutes for we have called ABVP)”

Soon after, other members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also arrived along with Akshit Dahiya, DUSU President. “Kitne bacchon ka paper hai… Sir aap inhe bahar karo na (so many kids are giving their exams. Please take these people outside),” said Akshit, referring to the protesters.

However, after the arrival of ABVP, the protesters got chased and beaten up by the ABVP members and the police. On multiple videos, the police could be seen manhandling and detaining the students. Bharat Sharma, State Executive Committee member of ABVP, and Sonal Sharma, Ankita Biswas, and Inderjeet Dagar, members of ABVP were caught on tape verbally and physically assaulting the student protestors.

“Akshit Dahiya arrived and ABVP goons started pouring in. Soon, it became complete chaos. Police and ABVP hitting the protestors. Those with the ‘dandas‘ are ABVP goons. Police lent them the batons. Many protestors were detained,” said Noihrit Gogoi, a student who got beaten up at the protest.

Another student present at the protest added, “I got hit on my face. Ten ABVP boys circled me and called me a terrorist and snatched my phone as I was making a video. Akshit Dahiya gave them orders to snatch my phone in front of me. Police were just watching and did nothing.”

Messages of students warning each other to stay away from the Arts Faculty were also circulated on Whatsapp. Meanwhile, the students of the University started sharing messages asking people to message Akshit Dahiya regarding his statement supporting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). “Spread the word, guys. He has to take this statement down. And that can only happen when students across DU unite. Please text him and let him know that DU does not stand with CAA,” read one message.

“The Delhi University Students’ Union condemns the attack of the academic process of the university by student groups in a move of forcefully preventing students from appearing in examinations… When the affected students called the DUSU President for help, the DUSU President immediately reached the spot and asked the protesters to continue the protest but not force any student to either join or boycott the examination. This led to a clash which sustained injuries on DUSU office bearers and members,” said the DUSU, in its press release.

Akshit Dahiya added, “It is my duty to go out to help the students who are appearing for the exams if they are stopped from doing so. The students called me for help and when I went, I was attacked by them. They raised anti-national slogans in front of me. We can never let such things happen in DU. We reject any lockdown call for DU. We condemn the act of such violent perpetrators and such environment building cannot be tolerated.”

Saimon Farooqi, National Secretary, National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) said, “We conducted a very peaceful protest inside the university campus itself. The police mistreated us. Rocky Tuseed who was the DUSU President in 2017 was also manhandled… we were just fighting for our rights and exercising our rights. If these ABVP members are against our protest, it reflects their ideologies. And because they follow the footprints of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), it reflects in those parties also.”

The police then took the protesters at the Arts Faculty to Jantar Mantar in their police bus for them to continue the protest at Jantar Mantar as the situation became too violent on the campus.

 

Featured Image Credits: Arsh Mehdi

Satviki Sanjay

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Daulat Ram College

Silencing Sexual Harassment: How DU Silences its Survivors

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TW: Sexual Harassment

As the sexual harassment case filed against the head of the Chemistry Department (HoD) moves to a third panel, despite the Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) finding the perpetrator guilty 19 months ago, it is time to acknowledge that the harassment culture in DU is more predatory than it seems.

A safety audit carried out by the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) across colleges affiliated to the Delhi University (DU) stated that one in every four women studying in the University has faced sexual harassment. One in five cases of harassment were of touching or groping. Lewd gestures, staring and vulgar comments make up for the most rampant kind of harassment.

A total of 188 cases were recorded by the survey. The survey also highlighted cyber harassment. Carried across 24 colleges with 736 female respondents, it stated that one in five cases of harassment concerned trolling on social media or harassment through calls, text or WhatsApp messages. The report also stated that not even half of the respondents were aware of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in their institutions.

Last year, when the #MeToo movement was a billowing surge, DU’s debating and MUN circuit ignited their own version of it, with female debaters coming up to narrate incidents of sexual assault or harassment. It was a shocking revelation to be made, the debating circuit has long been a platform with liberal ideas as its mainstay, and constant debates on feminism and equality. With allegations being made on a Facebook Group that served as an announcement board for tournaments called, ‘Debate Lokpal’, they called out senior members of DU’s debating circuit.

In April 2019, Moksh Nair, a third-year student from Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies (SSCBS), was accused of harassing seven third-year girls at a farewell party, and the girls ended up dropping any legal charges against him.

A Political Science professor, from Delhi University’s Daulat Ram College, was arrested by the Maurice Nagar police on Monday, 5th February for allegedly sexually harassing a 17-year-old student. The student alleged that Professor, Abhay Kumar, had often tried to touch her inappropriately whenever he found her alone. The girl reportedly informed the police that he would follow her and ask her to meet him. He would even, allegedly, threaten to fail her in internal exams if she rejected his advances.

Principal Savita Roy had allegedly been informed about the Professor’s misdemeanour beforehand but had refused to take action. In fact, in the six days it took between the complaint being filed (31st January) and Kumar’s arrest (5th February), students point out that the Professor was not only allowed to enter the college premises but also allowed to take classes until he finally submitted his resignation.

In 2015, a St. Stephen’s Ph.D. student has accused a professor- Satish Kumar- of the college of sexual harassment. The victim in her complaint has alleged that the Professor harassed her while she was working with him in college. She also said that the college Principal, Valson Thampu, tried to stop her from going to the police and instead forced her to end the matter in the college. The reasoning behind this was stated as not causing any delay or problems in the completion of her Ph.D.

In 2013, The principal of Bhim Rao Ambedkar College was booked by Delhi Police for abetting the suicide of Pavitra Bhardwaj, a former employee who had accused him of sexual harassment. Instead of hearing her out, the college had sacked her two years prior. Bhardwaj, who succumbed to injuries on 7th October, alleged sexual and mental harassment by Arora and another staff member.

These cases are a few of the many that go unreported, unnoticed or are hushed down. It becomes essential to acknowledge the fact that there remain to be a few isolated cases, wherein the accuser fabricates the case in an attempt to shame the accused.

Yet, it becomes important to also acknowledge the fact that most of these cases are factual and are hushed down by authorities in an attempt to not tarnish the reputation of an institution, or even a community. With the Bharati College case reaching its 19th month and the perpetrator having been found guilty with no actions taken, it becomes vital to try and understand why it is that an institution that prides itself for being a safe, largely-liberal and accepting space, does so much to silence its survivors and protect its perpetrators.

Feature Image Credits: HuffPost India

Shreya Juyal

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Campaigning: Ways and Waste

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The campaigning for Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) runs throughout August and September every year. However, these campaigns are not eco-friendly in the least, let us see how.

 

The student politics at the University of Delhi (DU) is a microcosm of our country’s political scenario. With examples like Arun Jaitley, former Union Finance Minister who was the DUSU President in 1973, student politicians at DU believe that they can be the ‘leaders of tomorrow’. Unfortunately, these ‘leaders of tomorrow’ are unaware of the amount of waste produced by them during political campaigning.
While walking through the streets of North Campus during campaigning months, one will come face-to-face with pamphlets, flyers, posters, brochures, and press invites littered on the roads. Students with political affiliations throw these posters out of their cars to ‘promote’ their leaders. Colleges like College of Vocational Studies, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, and Sri Venkateswara College in the South Campus, which are affiliated to the DUSU, also bear the brunt of such hooliganism.

During the 2015 DUSU elections, as reported by The Hindu, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued a notice to the Centre, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and the University Grants Commission (UGC) on the huge amount of paper being wasted in campaigning. Similarly in 2017, as reported by Firstpost, in an article titled “In North Campus, Student Bodies kick Swachh Bharat Abhiyan out of the Window”, Delhi High Court and the NGT expressed their shock over the massive misuse of pamphlets, flyers, and posters during the DUSU elections.
Since then, certain walls in the Campus were designated as the ‘Walls of Democracy’ where one was allowed to paste as many election-related posters as they wanted. But, even the 2018 elections saw the brunt of major exploitation of paper to an extent that the then sitting President, Rocky Tuseed, carried out a cleaning drive and removed the posters from near the Vishwavidyalaya metro station.

Despite being condemned over the years for their excessive use of paper in printing pamphlets, brochures, cards, and invites, the DUSU elections continue to be a hub of ecological hazard, producing extensive amounts of paper waste and littering the whole of North Campus by sticking posters on walls and littering flyers on the roads. Chhatra Marg still remains the most affected where a week before elections, we can see posters and pamphlets in every corner and niche.

As decoded by ScoopWhoop Unscripted in their video titled “How to Win a DUSU Election”, “the posters are simple and cheap; you can see it stuck on walls all over Delhi, that’s when you know that the Delhi University Elections are here.” One would believe that posters become a cheap method of promoting a campaign, inviting the masses to events organised by a particular party, and facilitate mobilisation. But, the aforementioned video revealed that INR five to six lakhs are spent in the printing process.
On the other hand, the Lyngdoh Committee, set up in 2006, only allows a small budget of INR 5,000 for campaigning and election-related activities. It also states that only handmade posters are to be used for canvassing and campaigning.

Hence, the huge waste of paper in DUSU elections is not only ethically and morally wrong, but it is also illegal.
Jaishree, a third-year student from Ramjas College pursuing B.A. (Honours) History, stated, “Nothing has changed here in the last three years, the walls are still decorated with multiple posters of the same candidate, underneath it lie decaying posters of yesteryear candidates. The heaps of garbage that the karamchaaris are made to clean every day is alarming. With climate change upon us, you’d really think that candidates would give a damn about the environment, but no.”

Feature Image Credits: Prabhanu Kumar Das

Sakshi Arora

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DUSU Poll Turnout Clocked at 40 Percent: Less Voters, More Lags

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This year’s voter turnout for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) polls saw a considerable dip. The voting process in a few centres and colleges saw hiccups pertaining to a clash between the students and the Electric Voting Machines (EVMs).

The past month in the University of Delhi (DU) campuses and colleges saw a flurry of activities characterised by loud sloganeering, flashy SUVs and a lot of campaigning for the recently concluded DUSU polls.

The voting percentage in this year’s polls saw a considerable dip of four percentage points, this year. The overall voter turnout was recorded at 39.9%. The 43 morning colleges and departments which had conducted polling for independent posts as well, registered a voting percentage just below 40%, at 39.89%, which is over three percentage points less than last year’s 43.8%.

This year’s percentage turnout dipped below 2012’s 42.5% and came close to 2016’s lowest percentage of 36.9%.

Polling at nine centres, where voting went on till 7:30 p.m., as well as in the 43 colleges where voting concluded at 1:00 p.m., saw a footfall of close to 52,000 voters in all. Over 1.3 lakh students were eligible to vote in this year’s polls. This excludes the number of eligible voters in colleges of the varsity that are not associated with the DUSU such as Lady Shri Ram College, St. Stephen’s College, Daulat Ram College, etc.

Colleges also voted for their particular college union posts and even as the counting was underway, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) stated that it had won at least one post out of all, in each of the 35 colleges. “We have swept the entire panel in Bhaskaracharya College, Ramanujan College, Rajdhani College, and Shri Ram College of Commerce. We are finding out the numbers by and by,” claimed the ABVP’s media in-charge Ashutosh Singh, in conversation with the Indian Express. Meanwhile, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) claimed that it was leading the Union and was in the majority in 22 colleges. The ABVP has emerged victorious in the polls this year, yet again, with three of the main panel posts (those of President, Vice-President, and Joint Secretary) being bagged by them. Only one seat of the panel, that of the Secretary has gone to the candidate from the NSUI.

The day’s voting also saw a couple of hiccups along the way. The NSUI complained about police presence after their Joint Secretary candidate Abhishek Chaprana was detained by police from Dyal Singh College. He was later released after being questioned briefly, The NSUI also complained about EVM malfunctioning at Aryabhatta College. “…in Aryabhatta College, the EVM is malfunctioning against NSUI. When the ballot is pressed for NSUI candidate, the EVM does not light up to indicate the registration of vote… We say no to elections being hijacked by thugs and frauds,” said NSUI’s national in-charge Ruchi Gupta.

The University’s election office denied it to be a case of EVM malfunction, but replaced the machine nonetheless.

Feature Image Credits: Namrata Randhawa for DU Beat

Bhavya Pandey

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Religious Politics: ABVP Members Seek Blessings, NSUI Files a Complaint

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National Students Union of India (NSUI) issued an official complaint against the candidates of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for visiting the Jhandewalan Mandir on Sunday, 8th September 2019 and posting about the same on social media.

The National Students Union of India (NSUI) recently condemned its opponent, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for adopting the practice of religion and religious symbols for the purpose of political campaigning which stands in direct violation of the Lyngdoh guidelines which all students contesting the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections are supposed to abide by, in order to not encounter direct disqualification.

In 2005, the Supreme Court decided to set up a committee to ensure measures that would hamper disruption caused by college elections. Following the order of the Supreme Court, a panel was set up by the ministry of Human Resource Development headed by the then Chief Election Commissioner, J.N Lyngdoh for the same, limiting the democratic functioning of the Student Unions and was called The Lyngdoh Committee.

The Lyngdoh guidelines clearly state that:

“No candidate shall indulge in, nor shall abet, any activity, which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic, or between any group(s) of students.”

According to the allegations made by NSUI, the following four candidates of Akhil Bhartiya Vidya Parishad (ABVP), Akshit Dahiya (President nominee), Pradeep Tanwar (Vice President nominee), Yogit Rathee (Secretary Nominee) and Shivangi Kharwal (Joint Secretary Nominee) along with Professor Manu Kataria of Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Science (State President of ABVP Delhi) were sighted using religious symbols for their campaigning. Later, a Facebook post was uploaded by the Presidential candidate Akshit Dahiya in which they visited a famous temple in Delhi wearing religious garments while making an appeal to vote for them, which disregards the Lyngdoh guidelines for social media campaigning as well.

Apart from this, under the Delhi University Act, any Professor under the paid role of Central Government is not allowed to display their political affiliation in public but sources have also proclaimed that Mr. Manu Kataria endorsed candidates for the DUSU election, hence violating the Delhi University Service Rules.

As per sources, NSUI has registered a formal complaint on the issue and made a request to the Election Officer to constitute a Grievance Redressal Hearing against the violators under the Lyngdoh guidelines and withdraw their nomination at the earliest as it is against the norms of free and fair elections.

Shri Akshay Lakhra, NSUI Delhi State President stated, “NSUI will ensure no polarisation of University takes place. ABVP already used cheap rhetoric this election by illegally putting up the statue of a highly controversial figure Damodardas Savarkar. When the move failed, they retorted to further downgrade cheap theatrics of using religion as a tool to safeguard their defeated campaign. Delhi University students are not going to be fooled by such rhetoric of ABVP again after the fake degree issue, and would give a sounding reply to them in upcoming student union elections.”

Following this news, the students of University of Delhi didn’t take it as a surprise that candidates do not follow the guidelines established for running a campaign, they believe that the Lyngdoh Committee is not a solution to strengthen or improve the prevailing conditions of student politics and DU stands as a classic example of its failure in limiting money and muscle power politics.

Feature Image Credit: ABVP Media

Avni Dhawan

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Interviews

In Conversation with Ankit Bharti, NSUI’s Vice-Presidential Candidate

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On Thursday, 5th September 2019, DU Beat conducted an interview with Ankit Bharti, the Vice-Presidential Candidate from National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) in context to the upcoming Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections.

(Translated from Hindi)

Satviki: To the common student, DUSU feels like an unapproachable political entity. What will you and your party do to ensure accountability to the students of Delhi University?

Ankit: NSUI has initiated various campaigns. The current Awaaz Uthao Seeti Bajao campaign is initiated for equality in the campus, where we have taken issues of university special buses and 24/7 library. We are also working on providing hostel facilities for outstation students. Our issues also include one course, one fee to ensure that the fees across all courses remain the same. The central library is closed before the elections and opens after it. So we would ensure that the library is open all the time.

We also want to increase the accessibility of Placement Cell in colleges for students who come to DU with their dreams and aspirations.

Satviki: You said NSUI will improve hostel facilities in DU and bring the fee changes through ‘One course, one fee’ program. How exactly are you planning to do that?

Ankit: NSUI has been working on this for a long time, to view everyone with the same eyes and not discriminate. Which is also why NSUI has initiated the program in the first place. The students who come from outstation have to face many difficulties. Not everyone can afford the fees, and the hostels also not open to everyone. So under this program, we want to provide equal opportunity to all students, be they from a rich family, a middle-class family, a poor family, or disabled.

Satviki: The incidents on Old Gupta Road and Hindu Rao Hospital highlight security concerns for those living in the north campus. What steps will you take to ensure safety and security on campus?

Ankit: DU has always been ruled through muscle and money power. The people who get elected in the union are usually from the upper castes, with a lot of money. People from backward castes are not able to contest usually, due to not being economically strong.

So these upper-caste politicians maintain a good relationship with the police. Moreover, the students from backward caste have to face many difficulties, such as Pramod Kumar Sanu, who was recently beaten up. Neither has the university has taken any steps for him nor have the police, because he was a Dalit student.

So casteism is extremely prevalent in the university. The first thing we would do is increase the security in and around the university so all students feel safe and end hooliganism in the university. For this, we would take to the police and convince them to work with us.

Satviki: How inclusive do you think NSUI is in terms of minority and LGBTQIA+ representation?

Ankit: NSUI has initiated the program of ‘One University, Equal Opportunity’ to give the same opportunity to everyone, regardless of their caste, race, religion, or gender. After such a long time, NSUI has allowed a woman as their presidential candidate. So, we work based on equality, unlike other parties where muscle power and money power are taken into consideration such that no one can raise their voices against them.

Satviki: Campaigning every year uses up a tremendous amount of paper for pamphlets, posters, etc which then leads to litter on campus. What is your say on the matter?

Ankit: We have tried to highlight the use of social media this time for our campaigns so that the paper isn’t wasted. This time we will make full efforts to not litter the roads with campaign paper and will try not to allow opposition parties to say anything against us.

Satviki: Delhi University was recently declared an Institute of Eminence by the Union Government which entitles DU to payment of a 1000 crores over 5 years, however, the trend in 2019 in DU has been of increasing fees and hostel rates. Why do you think this is so? And what will your party do to reduce fee hikes and hostel rates?

Ankit: This is all under the central government where they revise fees. We will initiate a campaign against this as we understand that in DU people come from all backgrounds and cannot afford expensive tuition. We will talk to the university administration.

Satviki: The overriding perception of University politics is that It involves dirty politics, strong-arming, and violence. What has your party done to prove this perception wrong during this campaigning period, and what does it plan to do to reduce these perceptions in the future?

Ankit:This time all the candidates come from a middle-class family. Chetna Tyagi, Aashish Lamba, and I all come from a middle-class family with no political backing. I come from a Dalit family. So, based on this, we can fairly say NSUI does not believe in money or muscle power.

Satviki: The Lyngdoh Committee lays down 5000 rupees as the maximum expenditure amount, how does your party maintain it?

Ankit: We are working on social media so that our paper is not wasted and it remains under 5000. We do not want to break any rules of the committee.

Satviki: Last year, there were allegations of EVM tampering against ABVP, also to be noted, the EVM’S were privately supplied and not by the Election Commission. How will you ensure that incidents like this don’t occur this year and how do you plan to make sure elections are held fairly?

Ankit: We will talk to the Cheif Election Officer and give them an application beforehand so there is no tampering. If there’s still some cases of tampering, we will try to find solutions for it.

Satviki: Which element differentiates you from the other contenders for the post of Vice President?

Ankit: Firstly, my candidates have power, both in terms of muscle power and money power. I, on the other hand, am a Dalit. They get people from outside for campaigning, whereas we believe in the strength of our group itself. We have the students’ support with us.

Satviki: What message would you like to give to the students of DU so that they choose you?

Ankit: I would first like to thank NSUI for rising above all discrimination and giving me this opportunity to run as a candidate. NSUI has ended the politics of discrimination and chosen me, a person from a Dalit family.

Feature Image Credits: NSUI

Satviki Sanjay

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Interviews

In Conversation with Chetna Tyagi, NSUI’s Presidential Candidate

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On Thursday, 5th September 2019, DU Beat conducted an interview with Chetna Tyagi, the Presidential Candidate from National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) in context to the upcoming Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections.

(Translated from Hindi)

Satviki: To the common student, DUSU feels like an unapproachable political entity. What will you and your party do to ensure accountability to the students of Delhi University?

Chetna: It gets difficult for the students to raise their voices on issues sometimes, so as DUSU elected members, it becomes our responsibility to raise our voice on behalf of the students. NSUI has also initiated a campaign ‘Awaaz Uthao Seeti Bajao’ where we want to promote equality amongst the Delhi University students. Under the campaign, we are covering issues of hostels, one fee for one course and university special buses.

If NSUI comes to power, it will force the authorities to take action so every student gets their rights and equality.

Satviki: The incidents on Old Gupta Road and Hindu Rao Hospital highlight security concerns for those living in the north campus. What steps will you take to ensure safety and security on campus?

Chetna: Every college should have a police van in front of it, every hour of the day. At least two policemen should be present so they can keep a check on the happenings in and around the campus so that they can control the situation.

Satviki: How inclusive do you think NSUI is in terms of minority and LGBTQIA+ representation?

Chetna: Our Vice-Presidential candidate is a Dalit who’s been given a high post, who will go on to further represent minorities of the Delhi University.

Satviki: Campaigning every year uses up a tremendous amount of paper for pamphlets, posters, etc which then leads to litter on campus. What is your say on the matter?

Chetna: Every candidate does their promotion through paper. I know it leads to a lot of paper waste and it is useless. We can have a plantation drive after the elections are over where we can grow plants in different parts of Delhi.

Satviki: Delhi University was recently declared an Institute of Eminence by the Union Government which entitles DU to payment of a 1000 crores over 5 years. What changes is this going to bring in DU?

Chetna: This extra money that we will be getting is the result of NSUI’s fight in the Delhi University. This extra money should be used to ensure equal opportunity should be given to all the students in Delhi University. Be it a student from a rural background, or someone belonging to the minority, everyone should be equal.

Satviki: The overriding perception of University politics is that it involves dirty politics, strong-arming, and violence. What has your party done to prove this perception wrong during this campaigning period, and what does it plan to do to reduce these perceptions in the future?

Chetna: I am a girl candidate, and NSUI has given the chance to a girl candidate after so many years. The students are the one who will judge and know which candidate is working for them, and which candidate is here because of his money power. Once the students start choosing wisely and not based on publicity stunts, it will all reduce automatically. So, NSUI will work for the students.

Satviki: Last year, there were allegations of EVM tampering against ABVP, also to be noted, the EVM’S were privately supplied and not by the Election Commission, how will you ensure that incidents like this don’t occur this year and how do you plan to make sure elections are held fairly?

Chetna: Last year, there was a nonexistent candidate who was used to get votes. The candidate was being voted for when in reality, the candidate did not even exist. So, there was something wrong. Moreover, the results were also delayed for a day or two. This year there should be tight security amongst the officers who handle the machines and the EVMs should not be misused. NSUI will keep a check on it.

Satviki: which element differentiates you from the other contenders for the post of President?

Chetna: Firstly, I am a girl candidate who is standing for the position of President. I don’t think ABVP has ever backed up a girl candidate for the post of president. NSUI has given the chance to a female candidate after so many years and I am going to give my best. I want to make my voice my identity and work for the students of Delhi University.

Satviki: What message would you like to give the students so that they see you as a deserving candidate?

Chetna: I am Chetna Tyagi, a student at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College. It is after 11 years that a girl candidate is chosen by NSUI to contest for the post of the president. I want everyone to come in heavy numbers to vote for DUSU elections.

Feature Image Credits: NSUI

Satviki sanjay

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NSUI Alleges Attack on Vice-Presidential Candidate by ABVP

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The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) came under scrutiny as National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) blamed it for attacking their Vice-Presidential nominee Ankit Bharti, three days before the University goes for Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections.

On 9th September, in a violent turn of events that followed a campaign by NSUI in College of Vocational Studies (CVS), their nominee for the post of Vice-President, Ankit Bharti, was was badly beaten up allegedly by members of ABVP. He was immediately rushed to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital for treatment.

NSUI has accused ABVP and its Vice-Presidential nominee Pradeep Tanwar for the attack. Whereas, ABVP denied any such charges. Ankit Bharti, in a video circulated, said, “I arrived at CVS in the morning to campaign where some AVBP goons thrashed me, deliberately entered my car and pulled me out and brawled with me.” showing the scars and wounds on his face and body.

ABVP’s spokesperson, on the other hand, claimed that ABVP was not involved in the incident. Monica Chaudhary, Media-in-Charge, ABVP said, “As far as we got information, the clash happened between Vice Presidential candidate Ankit Bharti and Secretary Candidate Aashish Lamba from NSUI.” The State Media Coordinator of ABVP, Ashutosh Singh, said that this is an attempt by NSUI to malign the image of ABVP because of the immense popularity and support it has been receiving from students of the University of Delhi (DU).

Siddharth Yadav, State Secretary, ABVP in the evening filed a formal complaint against NSUI in Maurice Nagar Police Station for defaming ABVP when only a few days remain for campaigning. The letter mentioned that no ABVP activist was involved in this case and if their party is further dragged in this case, a defamation lawsuit would be filed against NSUI.

Image Caption : The complain filed by ABVP against NSUI citing fake accusations. Image Credits: ABVP
Image Caption: The complaint filed by ABVP against NSUI citing fake accusations.
Image Credits: ABVP

This is the third case this election season when an official nominee has been attacked while campaigning. Previously on 7th September, Aftab Alam, the Vice Presidential candidate from All India Students’ Association (AISA) was injured amidst campaigning in Dyal Singh College, and on 6th September, Shivangi Kharwal, the Joint Secretary candidate from ABVP was injured in Zakir Hussain College. The left-wing student party had also blamed ABVP for the incident while ABVP had blamed NSUI for the alleged attack on their candidate.

Apart for this, the ABVP has also been accused of instigating violence on the last day of filing of nomination forms, due to which many members of All India Students’ Federation (AISF) and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) were unable to file their nomination forms.

In the garb of these accusations, it would be interesting to see how well the saffron-clad student party fares in the upcoming DUSU elections, which is scheduled for 12th September.

Video Credits: NSUI

Video Caption: Ankit Bharti explains the escalation at CVS, where he was allegedly attacked by the members of ABVP.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Priyanshu

[email protected]

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Campus Central

ABVP Alleges Attack on Joint Secretary Candidate by NSUI

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The student outfit alleged that the attack on its Joint Secretary candidate, Shivangi Kharwal, happened while she was campaigning in Zakir Husain College. 

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, in a press release dated 6 September, alleged that Shivangi Kharwal – the party’s candidate for the post of the Joint Secretary in the upcoming Delhi University Students’ Union – was “brutally attacked by political goons in league with [National Students’ Union of India], on the premises of the University’s Zakir [Husain] College.” 

The press release quoted Ms Kharwal, “the victim of this malicious attack,” as saying that the attack was borne out of the NSUI’S “desperation owing to their sense of foreboding, regarding the uncomplimentary electoral denouement approaching them with inexorable certainty.” She said that the alleged attack reinforced the “misogynistic disposition of the NSUI.” She was also quoted as saying that she will file a complaint with the police “in a little while.” 

While speaking to DU Beat, Siddharth Yadav, State Secretary of ABVP Delhi, told us that while Ms Kharwal was campaigning at Zakir Husain College, suddenly slogans of “ABVP Murdabad, SUI Zindabad” were raised. He alleged that around 40-50 people with sticks had gathered outside the college gate from where the candidate had entered. “The NSUI unit inside the college was in direct coordination with the people outside, which included some locals, few gundas and few of their sympathisers,” Mr Yadav said. 

Mr Yadav further said that Ms Kharwal did not want to get into a conflict with the alleged attackers and she decided to end her campaign in the college and leave. However, Mr Yadav further alleged that when Ms Kharwal was leaving, the car that she was in was attacked. “People with stones and sticks and what not attacked the cars and even a few of our women supporters were tried to be held back. They were stopped from entering the car,” he said. 

However, NSUI refuted the allegations. Saimon Farooqui, National Secretary of the student party, said, “When ABVP starts losing, they put fake allegations. NSUI was nowhere involved in the entire incident. ABVP’s candidate and [its] members brutally thrashed the students of Zakir [Husain] College last year and this year too, they were planning to do the same which wasn’t acceptable to the students. This resulted in students drawing them out of the college. All the students were ID card holders of Zakir [Husain] College. No one belonged to NSUI.” 

We contacted Ms Kharwal but could not get a comment from her on time. 

However, this does not seem to be a standalone incident; the DUSU elections, scheduled for 12 September, have seen multiple instances of alleged scuffles and violence till now. Almost all parties have accused each other of creating violence or attacking their candidates and supporters some or the other time. 

Feature Image Credits: India Today

Prateek Pankaj 

[email protected] 

 

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