Allahabad University students have been protesting a move that would have significant bearing on the future of student politics in not only Allahabad but also Uttar Pradesh (UP) as a whole. In May 2019, news reports reported that Allahabad University authorities have decided to do away with the Union elections and replace the Student Union with Student Council.
The students sat on a relay hunger strike on June 27. The students have been protesting for three days, following this decision of Academic Council (AC). The AC took this decision on June 24 which is scheduled to be implemented after the Executive Council’s meeting scheduled for June 29.
In this regard, the AU also submitted an affidavit in the Allahabad High Court in May, informing the court of its decision and emphasised that its decision is in accordance with the Lyngdoh committee guidelines.
The authorities have argued that the university campus is not conducive to conduct ‘free and fair’ elections. AU PRO Chitranjan Kumar said, “In accordance with the clause 6.1.2 of the Lyngdoh committee recommendations wherein it’s mentioned ‘where the atmosphere of the university campus is adverse to the conduct of peaceful, free and fair elections, the university must initiate a system of student representation based on nominatioons, especially where elections are being held at present”
This is not the first attempt to quell the students’ rights to form a union in the campus. In 2005, Kamlesh Yadav who was to fight the elections, was murdered. After this episode, the student union elections were banned. On December 22, 2011, the union was reinstated and student union elections could take place again in 2012-13.
Former presidents of students unions have warned about this move and said that it will lead to movements.
Allahabad University has remained a hub of student politics and has seen many students’ movements and agitations in the recent past. In 2018, reportedly, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav was stopped from boarding a plane when he was on his way to Allahabad University for the swearing in ceremony of a student leader. At that time, he had given a statement that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its leaders were “considering the Allahabad University elections as their own elections.”
Former president of the student union and youth leader Richa Singh tweeted, “In violation of all democratic norms and fundamental right (Right to Union), the Student Union Elections have been banned in University of Allahabad. Union govt. is hell bent on suppressing all voices of dissent and democratic institutions.”
She said that though administration is saying that the students’ union disrupts the studies in the university, it’s never been the case. “The students’ union has always worked for the welfare of the students and fought for their rights. It is the university that gives admission to anti-social elements who disrupt the environment in the campus and the administration uses them for their own benefits,” she said.
She also highlighted several serious lapses on the part of the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Ratan Lal Hangloo. The VC has, in the past been accused of sexual misconduct. He has also been accused of hiring other people who have been the accused of sexual misconduct.
She added, “I was the first female president of the AU students’ union. I come from a family with no political background. The students’ union gave me a chance to develop my leadership skills and start a political career. They are taking away the right of women, students from religious minorities, and oppressed sections from non-political backgrounds to participate in mainstream politics, because student politics helps them develop the basic skills before they can delve into a political career.”
The students have alleged that since the BJP government came to power in the country in 2014, they have viciously attacked the students and the youth. There have been repeated attacks on public-funded higher educational institutes. Singh said, “The country has witnessed massive student movements in the last five years. Not only that, the students have been at the forefront of almost all major movements. We are the ones that raise important issues, and question the authorities. It is no wonder that they want to silence us.”