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DU polls: ABVP and AISA release manifestoes
New Delhi: Sounding the poll bugle ahead of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections on September 12, two students’ outfits —Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad
New Delhi: Sounding the poll bugle ahead of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections on September 12, two students’ outfits —Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and All India Students Association (AISA) — released their manifestoes on Saturday.
While ABVP promised a five-point model on campus, course, admission, examination and results, AISA vowed to work on lack of hostels, metro rail concession passes, development of infrastructure, improved transport connectivity, and gender sensitisation cells.
“Being from the sports-quota myself, I am aware of the hardships that sports and extracurricular activities (ECA) students have to face,” said Akshit Dahiya, ABVP’s presidential candidate. “We will work to get the remuneration for sports-quota students increased. Availability of better diet and training facilities for them would be one of my primary agendas.”
The RSS-affiliated outfit also promised equality of opportunity and efforts to bridge the gap between different DU colleges in north, south and off-campus areas. “ABVP’s protracted fight that began in 1992 for the abrogation of the discriminatory provisions of Article 370 culminated in their revocation on 5 August. 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,” Yogit Rathi, ABVP candidate for secretary’s post, said.
Meanwhile, AISA demanded a public apology from ABVP and step back from contesting on the president’s post over Ankiv Baisoya, against whom allegations of submitting fake degrees had cropped up in 2018 .
Damini Kain, AISA’s presidential candidate said, “Violence free campus is an important part of our manifesto. Rather than fighting with us and for us, DUSU members have fought against us. It is only the movement led by us, the common students and professors which has saved DU in these difficult times.”
Vikas Kumar, candidate for secretary’s post, said “AISA has fought long and guaranteed AC bus passes even when we were not in the union. If elected we will ensure metro concessional passes for all students.”
