Aam Aadmi Party is making a major effort to support its student wing, Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) at Delhi University Students’ Union elections this year. In fact, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal himself has become a part of the campaign now.
The party, which is making its debut in Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) election this year had organised a music concert in Talkatora stadium on Tuesday evening. The concert was attended by many AAP ministers including CM Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Transport Minister Gopal Rao. A number of MLAs including former ministers Girish Soni and Rakhi Bidlan were also present at the event.
Deputy CM and Education Minister Manish Sisodia also utilised the platform to make a major announcement about the education loan for students. Addressing the students he said: “The Delhi government will start giving its first cheque for education loan to students from September 8. Any student who has a problem in managing finances for his/her education can approach the government, which will provide a loan up to Rs. 10 lakh.”
The Delhi government had in the month of June, this year, announced that they will give scholarships to students with financial problems.
Addressing a large group of students from the university, Mr. Kejriwal said that the students should vote for CYSS if they want clean students’ politics. “People of Delhi did a wonderful job sometime back by giving us 67 out of 70 seats. Now the students of Delhi University need to do a good job by choosing CYSS in this election. We have to bring DU among the world’s topmost universities and we can do this by bringing clean politics to the university,” he said while addressing the students.
AAP’s campaigning for CYSS at a big platform has however not gone down well with its political rivals.
Former president NSUI and former Congress MLA Hari Shankar Gupta said: “It has never happened in the history of student politics that such senior leaders participate in the campaigning for a party’s student wing.”
“What AAP preaches is completely different from the ground reality. As per the Lyngdoh committee recommendations in DU, a students organisation should spend least amount of time and money in campaigning, but AAP seems to be violating all the rules,” he added.
Reacting to AAP’s massive campaign, former ABVP president and BJP MLA Vijender Gupta said: “This is direct political intervention in a student party. The university should keep a check on such kind of intervention. If CYSS is being controlled by AAP in this way, it will lose its entity as a student organisation. AAP has hit a new low in politics by taking this step.”
Singers Vishal Dadlani, Shilpa Rao, members of Astitva band performed at the stadium which was packed to its full capacity. Raghu Ram of Roadies fame was also present at the event.
The govt will start giving its first cheque for education loan from September 8. Any student who has a problem in managing finances for his/her education can approach the government, which will provide a loan up to Rs. 10 lakh
