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Chandigarh: Women safety, PU infra, placement take centre stage in poll manifestos
Women empowerment, especially safety, is something that most party candidates mention as their first priority; placements have emerged as yet another big issue for student parties for the upcoming Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) elections
While most major parties have now released their manifestos for the upcoming Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) elections; issues, like women empowerment, placement of students and upgrade in infrastructure are what most parties have focussed on.
Women empowerment, especially safety, is something that most party candidates mention as their first priority. Tarun Sidhu of Student Organisation of India (SOI) said being from the south campus, his female classmates have to go to the library and feel unsafe while coming back from the north campus. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s (ABVP’s) first promise is to start a cyclical reservation for women for at least one seat of the student body. The RSS affiliated party’s first female presidential candidate Arpita Malik spoke about setting up of pink booths which would have atleast one female police constable and setting up panic buttons on the electric lights within the campus. The party has also issued a separate “womanifesto” for women. On the other hand, Ambedkar Student Forum (ASF) too has foremost promised a safe and accessible environment for women in the varsity, especially in south campus.
Placements have emerged as yet another big issue for student parties. Congress’ student wing National Student’s Union of India (NSUI) has ditched last year’s 28 point agenda with six key promises and has instead opted for a four point ‘PLAN’. The P in PLAN stands for placements and NSUI has pledged placement of atleast 50% varsity students. AAP-led Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) has pledged to combine training and placement cells of each department to a centralised placement cell which will be strengthened.
Infrastructure improvement is something that CYSS has focused on before as well. This time their manifesto’s first point is to set up air-conditioned messes and canteens at all hostels. PSU Lalkaar has also called for building new hostels with regular fees and to complete construction of girls hostel number 11. They have made rolling back of fees hike as their foremost issue.
Independent presidential candidate Anurag Dalal, in his manifesto, has promised ending external political interference and decentralised decision making to give more autonomy to departments. Another independent candidate Mukul Chauhan has said he will approach PU alumni to solve fund crisis and to look into food safety.
Foot marches start in PU
While Sunday remained a relatively peaceful day amid the campaigning, foot marches to hostels were taken out for the first time this year. This happened after an all-party meeting was held by the dean students welfare (DSW) for granting permission for the said marches and to the parties who wish to set up tents ahead of the elections.
CYSS took out foot marches with their presidential candidate Prince Chaudhary. Meanwhile, ABVP will hold a march on Monday. Prior permission from the DSW will be required for organising it and the use of vehicles and printed stickers during this is not allowed.
Punjab Youth Cong in-charge sends show-cause notice to gen secy
Punjab Youth Congress in-charge Rishendra Singh Mahar has sent a show-cause notice to Karan Randhawa, general secretary of Youth Congress Punjab over anti-party activities during the PU elections. The letter mentions that anti-NSUI actions are deeply concerning and undermine the value and unity of the party. Randhawa has been given 24 hours to provide a written explanation and failure to do so might result in disciplinary action.
He has been participating in events organised by rebel NSUI and now independent candidate Anurag Dalal, backed by former Chandigarh NSUI president Sikander Boora, who was also suspended for anti-party activities last week.
