‘Will prove allegations wrong’: DUSU president Ankiv Baisoya of ABVP steps down over fake degree row

Ankiv Baisoya of RSS-affiliated ABVP, stepped down as president of Delhi University Students’ Union over the fake degree row on Thursday. He was also suspended by ABVP till the conclusion of an ongoing inquiry against him.

Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) president Ankiv Baisoya, who allegedly furnished a fake graduation degree at gain admission at DU, stepped down from his post on Thursday following directions from the Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

ABVP’s Ankiv Baisoya stepped down from the post of DUSU president on Thursday, November 15, 2018, following an ongoing controversy a fake degree furnished by him. (Mohd Zakir/HT File)

The RSS-affiliated ABVP also suspended him from the organisation till the Delhi University (DU) concludes its ongoing inquiry against him.

Soon after the ABVP announced Baisoya’s suspension, he issued a statement saying, “Keeping in mind the mandate given by thousands of DU students and the duties of a DUSU president, I resign from the post of university’s students’ union president. I request the university administration to conclude the ongoing inquiry against me and put an end to the controversy. I assure you all that I will prove all baseless allegations levelled against me wrong.”

The move came two days after the ‘two-month period’ for a possible re-election for the Delhi University students body panel lapsed on Monday. As per the Lyngdoh committee’s recommendation, re-elections can be held for a post if a students’ union office bearer falls vacant within one month of the election results being announced.

Now, since the two-month period is over, DUSU vice-president Shakti Singh — also from the ABVP — will automatically take charge as the president of the students’ union.

DU vice-chancellor Yogesh Tyagi and registrar Tarun Das did not respond to calls and messages. An official in the vice-chancellor’s office, familiar with the development, confirmed having received Baisoya’s resignation letter. HT could not confirm if the administration had accepted the resignation till the time of filing of this report.

Despite setting up a committee to probe the matter, the DU administration so far hasn’t taken any action Baisoya so far. Delhi University has passed the buck to Thiruvalluvar University for not officially if confirming Baisoya’s degree is a fake despite several requests.

Soon after Baisoya’s election as DUSU president on September 13, the Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) had accused him of submitting a fake degree to get admission in DU’s department of Buddhist studies. NSUI had later circulated what they claimed was Baisoya’s bachelor’s degree along with a letter from Thiruvalluvar University that said it was a fake.

A row erupted on October 3 when Thiruvalluvar University wrote to the Tamil Nadu principal secretary of education stating that Baisoya had never been their student. The NSUI also moved the Delhi High court following which the court had on October 30 directed the DU administration to wrap up the inquiry by November 12. However, DU on Monday sought more time from the court and was then told to file its report by November 20.

ABVP’s state secretary Bharat Khatana said the decision was taken to maintain the “genuineness” of the Delhi University Students Union. “ABVP is committed to the student’s cause. This incident is continuously tarnishing the image of DUSU and also raising question on student’s mandate. So we request DU administration to complete the verification process as soon as possible and must produce the result in public domain… If Ankiv is found guilty then he must face all the legal actions which are expected in this case.”

The NSUI, however, demanded fresh elections. “The ABVP supported by the DU administration waited for two months in an attempt to retain the president’s post. They could have asked Baisoya to resign immediately when the matter had come to light. It was all pre decided and the administration was hand in glove with the ABVP,” NSUI national spokesperson Ruchi Gupta, said, adding, the NSUI will soon submit a memorandum to the DU vice chancellor demanding fresh elections.