They mock at the rivals and comments are acerbic, yet they seldom cross the limits.
Facebook walls and net groups created for elections are intense with criticism, promises and delivery of their assurances. It’s a war of manifestos and ideologies fought more on the cyberspace and less at the ground level.
Student union elections of the UoH to be held on September 25 showcase a rare quality of an intense and quality debate on the students’ issues. The issues are old and so are the promises being made by different groups divided on ideologies, beliefs and principles. But, they seem to believe that a democratically elected body is their collective voice.
Four panels are in fray apart from few independents. The SFI and ABVP are fighting again for supremacy. The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) consists of NSUI, Dalit and Muslim student groups, and TRS Vidyarthi Sangham are the two other groups challenging them.
Better hostel facilities, scrapping development fees for professional courses, scrapping the early entrance exam of HCU, reintroduction of central purchasing committee to contain corruption in the mess, separate library at the south campus, rooms for visiting parents at the university guest house, a North Indian mess, ending all types of discrimination, university press for publication of students research articles and funding for research scholars for a seminar abroad are some of the common promised made by different groups.
“We achieved what we promised last year ,” claims Parmesh of SFI, adding that the aim is to keep the divisive forces away. However, ABVP representative Anjaneyulu argues that achievements of earlier ABVP-led unions are the only positives of the last four years.
UDA presidential candidate Vincent says they are determined to oppose both the right and left wings forces as they have utterly failed during their tenure.