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Amarjot Kaur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 31
The RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)-backed ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad), on Saturday, for September 6 PUCSC (Panjab University Campus Students Council) elections at Panjab University, entered into alliance of sorts with Indian National Students Organisation (INSO), which is the student wing of former MP Digvijay Chautala’s Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), and HPSU (Himachal Pradesh Student Union).
The peculiarity of this alliance stems from the stark contradiction in JJP’s stance on BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) in the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections, where the party shook hands with Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to defeat BJP, while on the other hand its student wing has pledged solidarity to PU’s ABVP, which supports BJP’s ideology.
While members of the INSO and ABVP claim that they are on the same page when it comes to student issues, Digvijay Chautala says that he has been busy with Haryana elections and given a free hand to those monitoring the INSO at the PU and other city colleges.
Speaking over phone, Chautala commented, “I have no idea about any such alliance as I am occupied with the elections here in Haryana. However, I have given a free charge to INSO’s PU coordinator Anil Dhull and Jaswinder Kahira, who look after the party in the city’s colleges.”
“I am of the firm opinion that student elections are fought on the basis of student issues and not in the name of any political party’s symbol. Strengthening students’ union to address students’ issues is of prime importance. The ideology must a backseat here,” he added.
The ABVP’s presidential candidate, Paras Rattan, 23, said, “Both the parties are with us for the sake of the students’ issues in PU.”
Gaurav Duhan, 22, who is in the fray for the post of general secretary from the INSO, shared, “We are together with the ABVP not just for the ideology, but also for the sake of the students’ issues. We share ABVP’s concern over the varsity’s long-awaited central/heritage status and on campus security too.”
Contesting from the post of vice-president, ABVP’s Divya Chopra (22) said, “We haven’t chalked out the strategy yet, but woman security on campus is our prime goal. I am glad that the INSO and the HPSU share our line of thought.”
When asked if the alliance was intended to pull votes of students belonging to Himachal and Haryana, since PU enrols many students from both the states, HPSU’s Rohit Sharma, 21, who is fighting the elections for the joint secretary’s post, commented, “This alliance is not for the sake of vote bank. We have come together to address PU people’s issues and that’s the most important reason behind this pact.”
Listen Up, PU!
The hostellers of Panjab University are a harried lot and that’s not just because they are homesick all the time or that their point of envy is the privilege of eating home-cooked food. If sharing a room is a battle half won, try empathising with this lot that’s battling mosquito menace, water crisis and poor sanitation. Students talk to Chandigarh Tribune reporter Amarjot Kaur about their issues
There’s no safety on the PU’s South Campus. There’s no lighting. I am very scared to go out at night. There’s water crisis. — Harman, Girls’ Hostel No. 9
We only get water for an hour. The pits in the ground outside the hostel are a breeding ground for mosquitoes. — Vaishali, Girls’ Hostel No. 3
I am a fresher. Washrooms are not clean. I am scared that I might get an infection. No one cuts the grass in parks. — Relish, Girls Hostel No. 6
We pay a hefty fee, but I do feel that it must be reduced. I hope it finds a mention in manifesto of the parties. — Muskaan, Girls Hostel No. 10
I go to class, parties come to talk about their agenda. When I sit in my hostel, again party people show up. It’s troublesome. — Anubhav Gupta, Boys Hostel No. 2
There’s a lot of traffic here because of the elections and it disturbs our peace as our hostel is right on the main road. — Ayush Sharma, Boys Hostel No. 3
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