ABVP is also hoping to gain from the Centre’s decision to remove Article 370 in Kashmir. (File/Representational Image)The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Left-wing All India Students’ Association (AISA) Saturday released their manifestos for the upcoming Delhi University Students’ Union polls, to be held on September 12.
ABVP, which is currently in power, is focussing on “five Ps” — parisar (campus), which includes construction of new hostels and establishment of East and West campuses; pathyakram (curriculum), which includes student representation in the DU Academic Council, remedial classes for SC, ST, OBC, and EWS students and facilitating national integration under Centre’s Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat program; pravesh (admission), which includes a centralised hostel admission form and ‘one course one fee’ across different colleges; pareeksha (examination) involving supplementary examination for final-year students across all undergraduate and postgraduate courses and extra exam time for specially abled students; and parinam (result), which will ensure pre-fixed dates for declaration of exam results.
ABVP is also hoping to gain from the Centre’s decision to remove Article 370 in Kashmir. Yogit Rathi, ABVP’s candidate for the post of Secretary, said, “ABVP’s protracted fight that began in 1992 for abrogation of the discriminatory provisions of Article 370 culminated in their revocation on August 5. ABVP restates its commitment towards protecting as well as expanding the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression but solemnly warns against its abuse”.
On the other hand, AISA’s campaign is, to a large extent, built on removing ABVP from campus. It is also raking up the issue of Ankiv Baisoya’s degree fiasco, alleging that the ABVP hands out tickets to people with fake degrees. “For the last few years, the ABVP has spread terror on campus and indulged in violence… From threatening professors in the syllabus-making committee to illegally setting up the statue of Savarkar in Arts Faculty, the ABVP has resorted to unprecedented violence on students,” the AISA said.
Damini Kain, their presidential candidate, said DUSU members had “fought against us (students) rather than for us”. On its agenda are Metro concessional passes, elections by ballot paper, hostels for all, among other things. AISA vice-president candidate Aftab Alam said, “ Our focus will be on removing PG mafia and constructing hostels for all.
