New Delhi: The counting of votes for Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union’s polls is underway and the trends will be announced by the Election Committee at noon on Sunday. The Left Unity was leading on all the major seats of the JNU student union polls as per initial trends.
In the JNUSU elections, 68% votes were polled while the presidential candidates pitched for vital changes in the campus. In a tête-à-tête with News 18.com few candidates shared their agenda.
Jitendra Suna – BAPSA-Fraternity
PhD student in the Centre for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy
Jitender Suna (R)
AGENDA
— Work to check the drop-out rate of students, who are mostly from the non-English-speaking background.
— Pushing for a special fund for economically weaker sections, who drop out because they can’t afford education. "I have observed that our SC/ST/Linguistic cells are not working properly, the student representation is missing in these cells and I would work in making them effective. Will work for gender and minority deprivation points at the time of the admissions," Suna said.
CAMPUS POLITICS
“It has got a new colour, culture with BAPSA participating – Left played ‘dafli’, but we have got ‘nishan’, ‘dhol’ etc. These instruments are played in Odisha folk culture. Our campaigning has brought heroes like social activists who started Self Respect Movement Periyar Ramasamy, social reformer from Travancore, Ayyankali, spiritual head from Kerala, Narayan Guru, whose philosophy was one caste, one religion and one god among others. BAPSA has changed the culture of politics in the campus, while the ABVP is synonymous with mischief and goondaism and the Left indulges in fear-mongering about the ABVP. While we believe in unity of the oppressed, the left espouses left unity. JNU politics is of national level and is considered a seat of struggle, this must be realised to the fullest. Our slogan is, “JNU me Kanshi Ram, Hawa Ho gaye Jai Shree Ram," Suna said.
Aishe Ghosh
M Phil student International Relations – Left Unity (SFI)
Aishe Ghosh
AGENDA
— Improvement in infrastructure, like getting new hostels. "We were given 11 crores from the North East Ministry but work has not started yet. If I win I will work towards it, and make arrangements for alternative facilities for hostellers as they were done in 1999 while the hostels were under progress," Ghosh said.
— Resistance will be built against Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA). "The administration is going to repay the loan by transferring the burden on students, we will pay in thousands from Rs 280. Will fight to preserve the Rs 280 model. As a woman candidate, I will prioritize my work on getting the GSCASH back for effective fight against gender injustice. I will also focus on a mental support system, to check mental health that drives people to take extreme steps. There have been such heartbreaking cases in the campus," she said,
CAMPUS POLITICS
“The ABVP politics is all about money and muscle power – they bring disruption and even now someone affiliated to their outfit filed a petition in Delhi High Court and tried to stall the election process. Today, people can see through their ‘jumla’ and how they became instrumental in ‘shut down JNU campus’. Our alliance has come about to send a political message on strong opposition unity to fight the fascist forces. It is committed to that,” Ghosh said.
Manish Jangid
Third-year PhD student in the School of Environment Studies. ABVP
Manish Jangid
AGENDA
— More hostels and repair the ones existing are in bad shape; there is a water crisis in many of them. "The country has got rid of the problems of bed bugs, except for JNU hostels. We have to make hostels liveable. The students who come from non-English speaking regions face many challenges, we would be working to help them in progressing and providing more of regional literature and books in the library," Jangid said.
CAMPUS POLITICS
"I am from an engineering college in Jodhpur, JNU is certainly a more vibrant political space. The issues here are of national interest."
Prashant Kumar
Third-year PhD student of Philosophy- NSUI
Prashant Kumar
AGENDA
— "JNU politics is known for two kinds of voices – Left and Right. The dominance of one side is not good for a democratic structure. We will make JNU a thriving place for more voices of representation – we will fight for the tribal, women and OBCs. This election should be a step in breaking the left and right binary. We will fight for deprivation points, empowerment of women and minorities and defend the freedom inside the campus," Kumar said.
CAMPUS POLITICS
"As I said, politics of JNU rests on left and right binary and that needs to be broken. Also, the Left in the campus is not true to their ideology. The left alliance is opportunistic and is formed only to win elections."
1 Jitendra
2 Aishe
3 Manish
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