how lyngdoh changed the face of Delhi University students' union election. THe show is over.....

When DU votes today...

..There will be no rallies, no naarebaazi and no freebies. And in campus, it is a happy-sad situation. Some say they’ll miss the showbaazi while others say that this will bring in the real leaders

MEDHA SHRI Times News Network

>> The changed face of DUSU elections
When you think DUSU elections, you think rallies, naarebaazi, walls decked up with posters, hoardings, pamphlets on the road, hordes of party workers and the sound of dhol beats simultaneously. In short, DUSU elections are the campus’ very own carnival. If you vote and even if you do not vote, you do stop to see when a rally passes by – such is the mood in campus during elections. Ravi Budhwar, a third-year student says, “DUSU elections bring in a lot of energy everywhere. One gets to see netas visiting colleges, decked with garlands and groups of supporters following them and shouting slogans.” This year, there’s going to be no such hoopla about the elections, as the DU authorities have ensured that the guidelines of the Lyngdoh Committee are followed stringently. Students, however, feel that this will “take away the pomp and glamour of DUSU elections and make it a no-show”. Many other students applaud DU’s efforts. “The game of money and might has no place in these elections. I’m happy to see that DU authorities did their bit to maintain the sanity of the elections. Every year, people would go mad campaigning,” says Ridhima Singh, a third-year student.

>> Show’s over?
DUSU elections were synonymous with pomp, as two major parties – ABVP and NSUI, campaigned aggressively. But this time, the case is different, as ABVP and NSUI have only one candidate each contesting and even these candidates are under immense scrutiny. And this has become the reason for other parties’ joie de vivre. INSO Delhi’s state president Suresh Khatri says, “Since NSUI and ABVP hardly have any candidates this time, I’m confident that we’ll win three seats at least.”

>> Crying foul
And for obvious reasons, members of ABVP and NSUI are an unhappy lot. Former DUSU vice president and ABVP leader Vikas Dahiya, says, “The Univ’s decision to cancel the candidature of our candidates is completely wrong because the posters etc were pasted even before the candidates got the ticket. And those posters were to invite students to join the party and for going out and voting for us.” NSUI leader and former DUSU secretary Ramit Sherawat adds, “The pamphlets were given by the party. And who knows who printed those posters? There’s a possibility that other parties distributed our pamphlets.”

>> ‘This is the death of student activism’
Vikas says, “This is a deliberate attempt to kill activism. The authorities want people who will listen to them, follow their commands and they do not want people who can fight for students’ rights.” Ramit adds, “There’ll be no leaders now. The authorities want students who have no guts and voice.” Both Vikas and Ramit add that DU authorities want to demolish the DUSU office and build a faculty there. “To implement such changes, they want students who will not oppose their decisions,” says Ramit.

>> And just what do the students think?
The student body has a mixed reaction. Some say that the lesser known parties will not be able to run DUSU, as they aren’t the “politician types”. Neha Manuch, a thirdyear student says, “I never gave too much importance to the DUSU elections, but after what the Univ has done to the ‘actual’ political parties, I’m sad. ABVP and NSUI are the two main parties. They have a strong political backup.” Another student, Akash Sahni says, “The lesser known parties won’t be able to take pangas with the authorities, like the NSUI and ABVP candidates did.” And some students are sad, as there will be no freebies this election season. “Last year, we got free lunch, a free trip to an amusement park and other gifts. This year, there’s nothing to look forward to,” cribs a second-year student of Satyawati College. Many others are welcoming the change, saying it’s time for the other parties to get a chance. “Anyone can win elections with money but the real thing is different. You have to win on the basis of your achievements. I think we’ll get a bright leader this time,” says a student.

>> We’re not okay with the Lyngdoh guidelines’
Former DUSU president and NSUI’s national secretary Ragini Nayak says that some of the Lyngdoh Committee’s guidelines are “impractical and illogical”. “If you contest a college election, the limit of expenditure is 5K, if you contest a Univ election, even then the expenditure is 5K! How practical is that? We have about 54 faculties and a department spread over a radius of 30 km, just how are we supposed to reach students without posters? Another guideline says that a candidate should have 75 per cent attendance, whereas to take an exam, one needs 66 per cent attendance! Another guideline restricts you from re-contesting if you lose the first time.” Vikas agrees, “I was a national level boxer, I was good in sports and studies both, but it was difficult to maintain 75 per cent attendance, as I had to practice. My teachers understood that but why can’t the university understand?”

SAY BYE-BYE TO THE GLAM OF DUSU ELECTIONS

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