ABVP indulged in 'brazen violence' in run-up to DUSU polls, students will give befitting reply: Congress

NEW DELHI: A day before the Delhi University Students' Union elections, the Congress on Thursday accused the ABVP of indulging in "brazen violence" on campus and said the students will give a befitting reply to their hooliganism. The Congress-affiliated National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and the RSS-backed ABVP are prime contenders for the union's top four seats. Voting for the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections will be held on Friday. Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar alleged that police and administration also aided the ABVP as it indulged in "rampant violence".

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"The scenes seen in Delhi University are very concerning. It is a prestigious university where not only students from the country but all over the world come and study. On social media, videos of violence are going viral which is very concerning for parents," Kumar, who is also the AICC's NSUI in-charge, said. Noting that the students' union elections are being held after a three-year gap due to COVID-19, he alleged that the government used the pandemic as an excuse whenever it suited it. "The nomination date change from September 12 to September 14. On the basis of Covid, age relaxation has been given of two years to benefit one group," Kumar said. "Those indulging in violence are being encouraged … They can do anything. They are given a free hand," he said.

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"Continously (the) ABVP is indulging brazenly in violence and 'gundagardi (hooliganism)'," he alleged. The whole environment of violence has put a blot on the prestige of the university, Kumar said. "They (ABVP) are indulging in violence, beating up people of other groups and then misleading that the NSUI is doing it. I challenge, if it can be proved that one NSUI member was part of such activities, action will be taken," he said. "We are not going to be scared and a befitting response will be given by the students against this goondaism in the polls," Kumar added.

NSUI chief Neeraj Kundan also accused the ABVP of indulging in violence and claimed that they are getting "brazen support" from the administration and the police. He said the "violence being spread by ABVP" is tarnishing the image of the university and is concerning for the students's parents. The DUSU elections are being held after a gap of four years. It could not be held in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 while disruptions to the academic calendar prevented their conduct in 2022.