ABVP says ₹5k cap on campaign impractical
before the upcoming Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) elections, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) called some of the Lyngdoh committee’s recommendations impractical, saying a ‘paperless’ campaign that would cost Rs 5,000 or less was next to impossible in today’s times.
They also alleged that ‘urban Naxalism’, propagated by Leftleaning teachers and students, was responsible for the surge in violence on campus. Voting for the four seats of the DUSU will be held on September 12 and the election office of the DU has extended polling time from 8.30am-12.30pm to 8.30am-1pm for morning students.
An issue that resurfaces every election season is that of littering on campus. The chief election officer of the DUSU had released a statement on Wednesday that students seen in violation of the norms set by the NGT and the Lyngdoh committee recommendations would be meted with strict action including possible “non-acceptance of candidature, cancellation of nomination or even countermanding of polls.”
Speaking at the conference, Saket Bahuguna, ABVP spokesperson, said that keeping in mind the scale of the election at DU and the lack of enough ‘democracy walls, a ‘paperless’ campaign was next to impossible. “We do not want that the campus to be dirty. But the fundamental question is that why is the system so dirty? You will not give us a wall of democracy. You will only give us two days for campaigning. How can a person visit 51 colleges and departments, and reach almost 1.5 lakh voters in two days ? So we believe candidates will have to reach students through posters and pamphlets,” he said.
He, however, said that they were endeavouring towards a ‘less paper campaign,’ and would utilise social media to its full extent. This call for more democracy walls was also echoed by National Student Union of India (NSUI) in their memorandum to the Chief Election Officer last week.