Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) is drawing inspiration from its parent party — Aam Aadmi Party — for its campaigns at the Delhi University Student’s Union (DUSU) elections this year.
The student wing, which is making its debut is employing all means that AAP used for campaigning during Assembly elections including posters on auto-rickshaws, human banners, a selfie campaign and flash mobs. These methods, however, are not going down too well with the Delhi University administration that has already sent a notice to CYSS after the music concert in Talkatora stadium where Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other senior AAP leaders were present.
Chief Election Officer for DUSU, DS Rawat said: “We have already sent memorandum to all student parties and have asked them to campaign as per the recommendations of the Lyngdoh committee. As per the recommendations, a political party is not supposed to endorse a student wing but that is what is happening in the case of some of them. Regarding this we had sought an opinion from our legal cell and are still awaiting their reply to proceed with any action.”
“As far as the CYSS style of campaigning of sticking posters on autos and human banners is concerned, it is not allowed as per the recommendations. But we can take an action only if the student wing is seen involved in such acts, we do not have any say when the political parties do it for the students because we recognise the candidate as a student and not as part of a political party,” he added.
He however maintained that they have received many complaints with regard to the CYSS style of campaigning and they are seeking legal opinion in this regard.
As per the Lyngdoh committee recommendations for DUSU elections, the student wings are supposed to keep the elections an affair limited to the university only and not involve leaders from national parties for campaigning. The recommendation limits the use of money, time and space that the candidates can use for campaigning. “We have given space to students, which is called the “wall of democracy”. They are supposed to keep their campaigning limited to that and stick the pamphlets only on the wall,” another DU official said.
The candidates, however, seem to be violating all the norms this year as pamphlets and posters have been stuck on walls in many areas surrounding the campus including Malka Ganj, Kamla Nagar, Civil Lines and others. The Delhi police had around two weeks ago filed around 60 FIRs in connection with the defacement of walls by student unions.
