People's Democracy

        SFI Hails Victories

The SFI central executive committee hailed the significant victories achieved by SFI contestants in the student body polls in Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. In a statement issued on August 25, the CEC thanked and saluted the student community of both these states for their considerable support to SFI and for their rejection of communal ABVP and pro-liberalisation NSUI.

SFI swept the polls in Himachal Pradesh (see report on back page) while in Rajasthan it won the post of president in Jodhpur University. Jainarain Pooniya was elected as president of the union here. SFI also won in areas like Dungarpur in Rajasthan that were till date considered bastions of the RSS and BJP.

The CEC felt that these results are also an indictment on the functioning of the BJP government in Rajasthan and the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh. While the Congress government was pursuing commercialisation of education, the BJP government apart from commercialisation, was also indulgin in communalisation of education. In fact in these elections these two issues dominated the campaign. The SFI stood steadfast against these policies and conducted various struggles and agitations, which resulted in the students reposing their trust on it, felt the CEC. It stated that the results show the students have comprehensively rejected these policies.

The CEC vowed to carry on its committed opposition to all anti-student and anti-people policies of the governments. It also appealed to the UPA government to take note of these results and understand the message.