People's Democracy

Hat Trick Win for SFI

In HCUSU Elections

P Parameswarudu

YES, the students of Hyderabad Central University (HCU) have given a very clear-cut mandate in the 2012-13 students union elections. They voiced their opposition to the Congress-led UPA-II government for its commercialisation and centralisation of education and against the BJP for its efforts to communalise the education. In this regard, SFI emerged winner of HCU elections bagging majority of the posts including president, vice president, general secretary, joint secretary apart from GSCASH representative. The candidates of ABVP won only sports secretary and cultural secretary posts. SFI bagged 28 councilors out of 44, which showed  the faith of students in SFI.

The SFI candidates who won the polls are the following: president - Sheik Amjad Basha, IMA Urdu, 5th year; vice president - Vasista Reddy, M Tech, 1st year; general secretary - Arvind Kumar, MCA, 3rd year; joint secretary - Vani Prashamsa, IMA Social Sciences, 2nd year; GSCASH representative - Uma Bharathi, IMSc, Medical Science, 2nd year.

This election was an ideological battle fought by four panels namely SFI, ABVP, Ambedkar Students Association-NSUI and Telangana Students Association-BSF-DSU-TSF. Unlike previous elections, this election witnessed more importance given the ideological and political stands of all panels. The elections also saw considerable space taken by even local issues.

SFI, as the largest Left students organisation, did its level best in educating students of HCU about the anti-student policies of Congress-led UPA-II government. It held seminars, talks and discussions on centres anti-student policies like Foreign Education Providers Bill and other Bills. SFI HCU unit has been demanding the government of India to implement Right To Education Act in a more transparent way and without defects. The mandate given by HCU students is very clearly against these anti-student policies of government of India present and past (NDA). The students defeated ABVP opposing BJPs stands on education. BJPs efforts to communalise education when it was in centre were also brought to the notice of students extensively.

The Congress agenda of commercialisation and centralisation of education  was outrightly rejected by the HCU students by emphatically defeating NSUI. The austerity measures of the UPA-II government raised serious concerns among students of HCU as the HCU administration initiated a 300 per cent  fee hike following the centres diktat. The proposal of fee hike was fought by the SFIs members in students union 2011-12 by mobilising hundreds of students and the proposal was rolled back in Academic Council meeting held in March 2012.

It was not a bed of roses for SFIs victory in HCU. The identity politics has a strong footing in HCU. In fact, HCU stands first among universities all over India with regard to identity politics. Dalit movement is the strongest of the identity politics on the campus and recently separate Telangana movement also made an entry. SFI was attacked ideologically regarding its certain political stands like on Telangana. SFI countered by voicing its clear-cut stand and gained the faith of students. SFI reiterated that SFI had taken a principle stand and formation of separate Telangana or maintaining United Andhra is not in its hand. SFI criticised the Congress-led UPA government for not taking a clear-cut stand which is resulting in unrest in Andhra Pradesh. One more obstacle SFI faced in this election was the break of its alliance with Ambedkar Students Association. It is well known that SFI-ASA alliance swept the students union elections 2010 and 2011. SFI had to face some anti-incumbency too since it has been in the union for the last two years. But this election we had to fight alone and overcome the anti-incumbency factor, to  whatever degree of level it was.

Telangana Students Association-Bahujan Students Front-Tribal Students Forum-Dalit Students Union, all supporting the separate Telangana movement, formed Third Front to contest the elections. Ambedkar Students Association and NSUI forged an alliance in the name of Democratic Front. ABVP, as usually, played up its divisive and hatred politics. Being politically frustrated, it stalled the election counting of president and general secretary as SFI candidates were in lead on October 19. Hence, recounting took place again on October 25 authenticating SFIs victory.

The contribution  of students union members (2010 & 2011) representing SFI has played its role in turning public opinion towards SFI. It was the most prestigious election different student political outfits have fought ever. Four panels contested the elections on ideological and political stands. It was the first election SFI bagged major and majority posts on HCU campus since its inception from 2007 onwards. SFI Andhra Pradesh state committee appreciated the SFI-HCU unit  led by the secretay, Jitin and president Bhradwaj for its victory over communal BJPs and corrupt Congress political outfits ABVP and NSUI respectively.

Since the elections were fought much more on anti-student policies and anti-public policies like fuel price hike, lifting subsidies on gas and fertilizers, SFI demanded UPA-II government to roll back all its anti-people policies with an immediate effect.