People's Democracy

JNUSU Election Mandate 2006

SFI-AISF Panel Regains Presidentship

Subhanil Chowdhury

THE SFI-AISF alliance won the post of JNUSU president after two years in the recently concluded JNUSU elections. The SFI-AISF has won in the posts of president and joint secretary in the central panel along with three councillors each in SSS and SIS, two in SLL&CS and one each in School of Arts and Aesthetics and School of Physical Sciences. One candidate each from SFI-AISF and AISA were tied in the fifth position for the councillor posts in SSS and SIS. According to the JNUSU Constitution, a repoll will have to be conducted among the tied candidates at a subsequent date. The AISA has won the posts of vice president and general secretary along with one councillor each in SSS and SLL&CS. 

MANDATE IN SUPPORT OF RESERVATIONS

This year’s JNUSU elections were held in the backdrop of the decision taken by the central government to implement 27 per cent reservation for the OBCs in all central educational institutions. The entry of the Youth For Equality (YFE) into the electoral fray had, for all practical purposes, converted the JNUSU elections 2006 into a referendum on the reservation policy and the agenda of social justice. Since the announcement of the decision of the government to implement 27 per cent OBC reservation in central educational institutions, the SFI-AISF consistently mobilised the students in support of the policy of reservation amidst a casteist campaign launched by the YFE with active support from the media and a section of faculty members and elements within the administration. Despite desperate attempts to secure a victory of the YFE from various quarters, the JNU students have rejected this anti-reservation platform and voted in favour of pro-reservation forces, especially the SFI-AISF, who have been the most consistent advocates and passionate defenders of reservation policy. Through this historic mandate, the JNU student community has carried forward the glorious legacy of the JNU student movement, which has believed since its inception that JNU can meaningfully contribute to the society and play its rightful role in nation building only if academic excellence can only be meaningful with equality of opportunity for the deprived sections through affirmative action like reservations and the deprivation points system. The victory of the SFI-AISF alliance in the post of president and joint secretary while winning convenorships in all major schools is a vindication of the politics of the SFI-AISF in favour of the deprived sections upholding social justice and equality. In the coming days, the SFI-AISF is committed to ensure that 27 per cent OBC reservation is implemented in the University with 54 per cent seat increase. 

MANDATE TO CONTINUE STRUGGLES’ ON STUDENTS’ ISSUES:

This year’s JNUSU elections were held in the backdrop of a historic agitation under the leadership of SFI-AISF led JNUSU demanding enhancement in financial assistance for economically needy students in the university. The agitation, which witnessed massive participation of the common students, compelled the Administration to increase the amount of Merit-Cum-Means Scholarships to Rs 1000/-per month for BA/MA students and Rs 1500/- per month for M Phil students. The Administration also agreed to institute MCM scholarships for PhD students to the tune of Rs 1500/- per month. The positive mandate for SFI-AISF reflects the appreciation of the student community regarding the leadership role played by the SFI-AISF in the agitation for enhanced financial assistance. In the coming days, the SFI-AISF will further the agenda of financial assistance for needy students and ensure that every poor student in this campus gets adequate financial support from administration to pursue her/his academics. 

AGAINST IMPERIALISM AND ANTI-PEOPLE POLICIES OF UPA:

The mandate in favour of the SFI-AISF reflects broad support for our campaign against imperialism, particularly the reckless militarism of the Bush Administration and the effort on the part of the UPA government to forge a strategic alliance with it. Through out the campaign the anti-people policies pursued by the UPA were criticised highlighting the role of the Left parties in opposing these policies. It was asserted that as a result of the positive role of the Left Parties since the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, the political discourse in our country has shifted towards issues of livelihoods of the common people. Peoples’ struggles in different parts of our country under the leadership of the Left or other progressive sections are intensifying against the anti-people policies of the UPA. The SFI-AISF carries forward this legacy of struggles of the people of our country against the neo-liberal paradigm exemplified by the struggle for more financial assistance. This mandate would surely strengthen the spirited resistance put up by the Left parties against the neo-liberal policies being pursued at the centre.

This year’s campaign for the JNUSU elections was marred by cheap slander and anti-Left propaganda by the entire opposition, particularly the ABVP. A last minute campaign was carried out by these forces to discredit the achievement of the agitation for financial assistance. The victory of the SFI-AISF is a fitting rebuff to the low level of slander and anti-Left propaganda carried out by the organizations contesting the elections this year, especially the ABVP, which has been severely punished by the student community for its political bankruptcy.

OUR SHORTCOMINGS

A major shortcoming of the SFI-AISF stood out in these elections. Over the last three years our process of deciding candidates for the JNUSU elections has been hampered by the fact that our most suitable candidates being unable to contest elections due to various reasons. This year too, this shortcoming could not be resolved. Organizational shortcomings in certain schools also had an impact on the election results. 
The following table shows the pattern of voting:

These results indicate that the student community largely endorsed our politics and perspective. However, the election result also exemplifies certain criticisms of the students regarding our functioning. This needs to be taken seriously with efforts put in to address the shortcomings. 

An important political development in these elections has been a proliferation of candidates in the central panel from different organisations. This comes in the backdrop of a realignment of forces following the weakening of the ABVP and the debate regarding reservations in the country. Apart from the SFI-AISF, AISA, ABVP, NSUI, many other formations like the Bahujan Students’ Front (BSF), Youth for Equality (YFE), DSU, Forum for Peoples’ Rights (FPR), Students for Campus Development (SCD) contested the elections in the central panel and different school panels. Such large number of candidates in the central panel, made this JNUSU election a very complex one. However, the correct politics of the SFI-AISF combine has been vindicated in the mandate given by the students. 

The task before the SFI-AISF over the next one year is to ensure that all the issues mentioned in the manifesto of the SFI-AISF, particularly, implementation of 27 per cent OBC reservation along with 54 per cent seat increase, more scholarships for needy students, strengthening of Equal Opportunity Office and GSCASH, students’ representation in Academic Council and Board of Studies, be taken up with right earnest. Only by continuous activism and struggle on students’ issues, the SFI-AISF will do justice to the mandate in this year’s JNUSU elections.