Tamil students say CM trying to ‘create divide’, approach Election Commission | Latest News Delhi - Hindustan Times
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Tamil students say CM trying to ‘create divide’, approach Election Commission

New Delhi | By
May 04, 2019 04:12 AM IST

In their complaint, the students’ association alleged that the AAP had “singled out students from a particular state” in their Lok Sabha election campaign.

Members of the Delhi University Tamil Students’ Association on Friday said they had filed a complaint with the Chief Election Commissioner against chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly violating the model code of conduct by creating a “divide” among students.

Tamil students say CM trying to ‘create divide’, approach Election Commission(ANI)
Tamil students say CM trying to ‘create divide’, approach Election Commission(ANI)

In their complaint, the students’ association alleged that the AAP had “singled out students from a particular state” in their Lok Sabha election campaign.

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The Election Commission stamped the letter as “received”.

Shravena Raghulasr, president of the association and a Law student at the university, said, “As a part of the AAP’s election campaign, Delhi residents are receiving phone calls wherein Kejriwal’s recorded voice says that 500 students every year from Tamil Nadu are taking admission in DU and that it reduces opportunities for Delhi residents.”

He said the move could create a “hostile environment” for Tamil students in the city. “We are not reducing anyone’s opportunity. We are entering good DU colleges through our marks only. And why has he taken the name only of our state, when half of DU students are from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and Punjab? Such messages can create trouble for us,” Raghulasr said.

The AAP’s spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said that his party was concerned for all students completing Class 12 from Delhi schools, even if they belonged to another state. “The chief minister and the party are citing a factual position where all Class 12 state boards are treated on a par with the CBSE board at Delhi University. Some state boards are lenient in granting marks. This puts Delhi students at a disadvantage because Delhi has no state board. So, students from Delhi schools, which are CBSE-affiliated, do not get admissions in colleges,” he said.

The AAP, in its manifesto, has promised to reserve 85% seats for Delhi residents in city colleges.

Delhi University officials have already rejected the claims saying the university was established in 1922 through an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly and is governed by the Union government. “For any change, we need to bring an amendment,” a university official said.

PC Jain, former principal of Shri Ram College of Commerce, said the discourse around more Tamil students getting admission in DU started when 75% of students enrolled in the SRCC in 2016 were from Tamil Nadu. “But the admissions were completely based on the merit,” he said.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Fareeha Iftikhar is a Special Correspondent with the national political bureau of the Hindustan Times. She tracks the education ministry, and covers the beat at the national level for the newspaper. She also writes on issues related to gender, human rights and different policy matters.

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