CCTV cameras, clinics for students and 24X7 libraries were among the promises made in the joint manifesto for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections released on Saturday by the left-wing All India Students’ Association (AISA) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) students’ wing, Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS).
In a first, the two students’ organisations had on Wednesday announced their decision to contest the DUSU polls together.
AAP Delhi convenor Gopal Rai had said the AISA would contest the posts of president and vice-president of DUSU, while the CYSS would contest the joint secretary and secretary posts.
Violence on campus
Releasing the manifesto, AAP leader Atishi Marlena said the main agenda of the two groups was to oppose “commercialisation” of higher education and to curb the use of muscle and money power in student politics.
CYSS Delhi convenor Sumit Yadav added that the alliance would work towards “zero tolerance” towards violence on campus and would push for police booths and CCTV cameras.
AISA’s DU wing president Kawalpreet Kaur said that she was attacked on campus on Friday by some men allegedly from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP.
She added that the ABVP and the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), had created an “SUV culture” in DU that the AISA-CYSS combine would work to end, if elected.
Among the promises made in the manifesto were the creation of Chhatra Clinics along the lines of the Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics set up by the Delhi government and setting up internal complaints committees in all colleges.
