The Chatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) is ‘failing to deliver’ on the promise of introducing alternative politics to Delhi University just like the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had since forming the government in Delhi, former founding AAP member Prashant Bhushan said on Tuesday.
Questioning what he termed was the unbridled use of “money and muscle power like any other” outfit affiliated to a larger political party, Mr. Bhushan said the CYSS was gradually leaving the National Students Union of India (NSUI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) behind in terms of dishonouring the recommendations of the Justice Lyngdoh Committee.
“Just take the rock concert organised by the CYSS, where many senior party members including Arvind Kejriwal made an appearance or all the money being spent on printing and distributing pamphlets with his picture to students and erecting massive hoardings, for instance. Where is the money coming from for these activities? The AAP is evidently out of funds which begs the inference that illicit money is being put to use,” Mr. Bhushan told The Hindu .
Mr. Bhushan along with party co-founder and noted psephologist Yogendra Yadav among others was expelled from the AAP for what was termed “anti-party activities” by its internal disciplinary committee in mid-April this year and have since become associated with the breakaway political formation which they named Swaraj Abhiyan.
He said the CYSS seemed to be breaking the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) poll code on a daily basis and on various levels with little fear of disciplinary action or regret.
“In one way or another, whether it be overshooting the prescribed budget of Rs. 5000 per candidate or the utilisation of politicians to further their campaign – everyone including elected political representatives are making appearances on behalf of the CYSS candidates – caution is being thrown to the wind on a daily basis,” Mr. Bhushan alleged.
“This is far from the promise of clean and alternative politics that the CYSS, like the AAP with Mr. Kejriwal at its helm, had promised to the people of Delhi but have failed to deliver on,” he added.
On their part, an AAP representative initially decided against commenting on Mr. Bhushan's allegations before choosing to dispel them as “misinformed” utterances.
“Mr. Bhushan doesn't seem to know that the activities of the CYSS are being monitored on a daily basis and nothing extra-legal is being allowed. As far as the concert s concerned, it was not only organised at minimal expense but even those who performed at the event did not charge a single Rupee for their appearance; we have nothing more to say on the matter,” the representative said.
