Youth wings and unions say youngster need opportunity to learn about politics and elections help shape future leaders Youth wings and unions say youngster need opportunity to learn about politics and elections help shape future leaders
Student polls were scheduled to take place around August and September 2019
Student unions have demanded that the Mumbai University (MU) introduce student council elections this year.
After almost 30 years, student elections were to be held in 2019, but the process was delayed. Ever since the decision to resume holding the polls was announced, the youth wings of political parties have been working tirelessly, increasing their strength via membership drives and appointing on-campus office-bearers.
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It is against regulations for any outside organisation or person to participate, interfere and campaign in these elections and student bodies are determined to make their presence felt by endorsing candidates in various colleges.
For many years, the state government has been considering the feasibility of holding student elections across Maharashtra. Since 1992-1993, the polls have been prohibited due to rampant fraud, violence and the death of a first-year law student, Owen D’Souza, at Jitendra Chauhan College of Law at Mithibai College campus in Vile Parle in 1989.
By altering the 1974 Maharashtra Universities Act, the ban—that forbids posters, leaflets and banners—was put into effect.
Amol Matele, Ashish Dwivedi and Manoj Tekade
Prior to 2019, the faculty of each department of the university nominated a student to the student council. Those nominated to the student council then elected a general secretary. The Lyngdoh Committee report, however, called for direct elections for students.
In 2019, the MU released a schedule for student elections, which were to take place around August and September 2019. However, the process had to be postponed because of the ongoing state elections then. The varsity had even begun accepting nominations from all its affiliated institutes. But then, COVID-19 hit. Student organisations are now urging colleges across the state to resume the practice now that the new academic year is in session.
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Manoj Tekade of Prahar Vidyarthi Sanghatana said, “In 2017-2018 we had moved the Bombay High Court, which subsequently directed that elections be held in educational institutes as per recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee. Delay in appointing the vice-chancellor and other officials seem to have hit the process.” Stating that there is no justification for further delaying the procedure, Tekade said, “Not having representatives is the root of a number of difficulties that students face on campus.”
Maharashtra college and university campus politics have been a training ground for many political veterans like the late Congress leader Gurudas Kamat, BJP leader and former state education minister Vinod Tawde and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray headed the Yuva Sena when he was with Shiv Sena.
Santosh Gangurde, state chief organiser, Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena, said, “The university administration is least bothered about conducting the polls as this will lead to paralysis of day-to-day academic activities and will sabotage the interest of stakeholders. The student council plays a significant role in voicing student issues. Student elections have in the past proven to be a stepping stone into mainstream politics. Given the recent political turmoil in Maharashtra, it seems we need to have student elections to improve the quality of tomorrow’s leaders.”
Ashish Dwivedi, Mumbai president, Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti, alleged that the university administration and the state government do not want students to be involved or participate in politics so that “their arbitrariness continues and unopposed”. “It is wrong to stop the union elections because of something that happened decades ago. With security arrangements in place, they can be conducted smoothly,” he said.
Advocate Amol Matele, an NCP spokesperson and leader of the Nationalist Student Congress, said the government must address the issue on priority as it affects people across party lines. “We need to leave the past behind and work on creating leaders, instead of suppressing students’ voices by not giving them an opportunity to rise,” he said.
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