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In DUSU election, Satya Niketan building collapse, turns common cause for rivals
More than half of the students enrolled are estimated to require hostel accommodation. But the available official pool is only a measly 7,224 hostel beds.
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The ramifications of the building collapse in South Delhi’s Satya Niketan that killed five students, will be a common thread running through rival campaigns for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections scheduled for September 18, representatives of students’ organisations said on Friday.
The organisations will demand steps to address the varsity’s chronic shortage of accommodation for students, as well as concerns over the safety of students and affordability of hostel rooms, these representatives said on a day they announced their candidates for the DUSU elections. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), and the left alliance of All India Students’ Association (AISA) and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) will contest four DUSU posts in the election.
More than half of the university’s 251,474 students enrolled in conventional programmes are estimated to require hostel accommodation.
But the available official pool is only a measly 7,224 hostel beds. Students take refuge in hubs like Satya Niketan that have emerged due to this perennial problem, where relatively affordable options are limited to cramped, unsanitary rooms, often in rickety buildings that violate the rules.
The ABVP, which is aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party that rules Delhi, said it would extend a campaign it had launched after the building collapse on September 6 to the DUSU polls.
It had sought the resignation of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s commissioner over the incident.
“The Satya Niketan incident has also brought the urgent need for safe PGs and student accommodation into focus. Through the ‘Aakhir Kab Tak?’ campaign and ‘No more Satya Niketan.in’ website, we are continuing to raise this issue. Our campaign will remain focused on genuine student concerns and finding practical solutions to them,” ABVP Delhi secretary Sarthak Sharma said.
Sharma told HT the ABVP’s manifesto will focus on how DU needs more hostel rooms. “We will raise this demand, apart from rent control of PGs and hostels, as well as audit of students’ accommodation by the MCD. We continue to demand the MCD commissioner’s resignation,” he added.
Rival NSUI, aligned with the opposition Congress, said their manifesto will “present a comprehensive vision for Delhi University – from affordable accommodation and better infrastructure to student safety, and academic opportunities.”
In a statement, NSUI’s national president Vinod Jhakar said, “The Satya Niketan tragedy has once again raised serious questions about student safety and institutional accountability. NSUI will continue to fight for justice and ensure that the voices of affected students and families are not ignored.”
NSUI national media incharge, Ravi Pandey, said his party will put pressure on the government and university to ensure compensation to the families of the victims of Satya Niketan, and adequate hostels for students.
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“Our demands since the Satya Niketan incident have been clear– ₹1 crore compensation to the families of the victims by the government, and on-campus accommodation for the majority of students who come to DU from other states. These demands will be strongly reflected in our manifesto,” said Pandey.
AISA-SFI said they would carry forward the momentum built during the month-long Cockroach Janata Party protest at Jantar Mantar, while also taking up students’ concerns over the lack of adequate on-campus accommodation.
“This year’s DUSU elections are taking place against an unusual backdrop, marked by a series of major student-led movements and developments. These include the Cockroach Janta Party movement, which led to the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, as well as the Satya Niketan tragedy, which claimed the lives of seven students. Our key manifesto points include the rollback of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, improved campus infrastructure, and safer campuses for women. However, we are placing greater emphasis on ensuring accessible hostel accommodation for all students, conducting structural safety audits in student hubs such as Kamla Nagar and Malkaganj, and introducing a rent-control law for these areas,” said DU AISA secretary Anjali.
ABVP fielded Yash Dabas for President, Ishu Maurya for Vice-President, Riya Chhawadi for Secretary, and Lakshya Raj Singh for Joint Secretary.
NSUI’s candidates for the four central panel posts are Vijay Shankar Meena for President, Vir Chatrath for Vice-President, Namrata Choudhary for Secretary, and Gopal Choudhary for Joint Secretary.
AISA-SFI has announced a joint panel for the DUSU elections, fielding Ananya Raturi (AISA) for President, Akshat Shikhar (AISA) for Vice-President, Stanzin Deskyong (SFI) for Secretary, and B. Parijaat (SFI) for Joint Secretary.
As campaigning is set to intensify, DU Proctor Manoj Kumar Singh said the university would step up its oversight of election activities.
“So far, the campaign has largely remained free of any major violations. But with a week left before polling, stricter scrutiny will begin to ensure that the campaign remains clean and safe,” he said.
