Many surprises may be in store this year for Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union elections, which is scheduled for September 12. Sworn enemies have been rumoured becoming friends and staunch supporters of the Leftist ideology have metamorphosed into Right-wing voters, say those in the know. However, assumptions aside, let us look at things as they stand right now.
The All India Students’ Association has been the most popular organisation on campus for many years now, and they have clinched all four posts of president, vice-president, general secretary and joint secretary. Last year, they won by colossal margins. This year, however, the AISA may face a set-back with the elected JNUSU president and joint secretary having cases of sexual harassment registered against them in its Gender Sensitisation Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) cell.
The Democratic Students’ Federation, an organisation formed with expelled members of the CPI (Marxist) Students’ Federation of India, had pulled up second, and this year, it may be allying with the very organisation that expelled them.
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The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, traditionally not a strong player in the previous elections, managed to make a slight dent in last year’s elections, coming third and losing the second position by only 137 votes. This year, with the Right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party’s domination in national politics, there are many who have been seen switching sides.
Individual candidates, too, sometimes do very well. However, the Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India has also never made a real mark on campus, and indications are that this year will be a repeat performance.
The election process will begin with the filing of nominations on Tuesday and the final list of candidates shortlisted for elections will be displayed on Wednesday. The traditional all-night “Presidential Debate,” is scheduled for September 10.
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So, what is the agenda of all the main players?
“One of our main issues this year will be to strengthen the autonomy of the GSCASH. We have been carrying out this struggle for the past one year when we had the union,” said Sucheta De, former JNUSU president and national secretary of the AISA.
Another major agenda for the association is to reduce discrimination against non-English backgrounds, which is present in subtle ways. “The weightage given for viva-voice during the examinations puts students who do not know English very well at a disadvantage. Because of our consistent struggle, a case has been made out in the Supreme Court and a committee has been made,” she said, adding that their main focus would be for the creation of a strong and active translation cell.
Former JNUSU president and DSF secretary Lenin Kumar said their main agenda this year will be a campaign against the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations. “Rules like early elections and the criteria that a student cannot stand twice for elections is something that we intend to fight against,” he said, adding that adding more Indian languages that should be taught in the School of Languages.
This year, the university has also garnered some infamy for the number of sexual harassment cases and attacks. The ABVP said that gender equality will be their main agenda this year. “We will also be focusing on increase in fellowships and the provision of more hostels,” said ABVP member Sandip Singh.