ABVP protests against Rajasthan govt's decision not to hold students' union elections

JAIPUR: ABVP activists on Monday held a sit-in protest at the Vice-Chancellor's secretariat of Rajasthan University against the state government's decision not to hold students' union elections in universities and colleges this year.

Hushiyar Singh Meena, the ABVP's national secretary, alleged the state's Congress government decided against holding the elections as it was aware that the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) would face defeat. The NSUI is the Congress' students' wing.

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In an order on Saturday, the higher education department stated that it was decided not to hold students' union elections in higher educational institutions during the 2023-24 academic session. On Monday, members of the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) assembled outside the secretariat against the order and later sat on a dharna inside.

"The Congress government has taken the decision due to immense support the ABVP received during its Nyay Padyatra recently. Students are supporting the ABVP and the Congress government was aware that the NSUI would face a humiliating defeat in the elections and the decision was taken as a result," Meena said.

Meena claimed several activists are sitting on the dharna. The police have also reached the spot and are trying to resolve the matter. The higher education department on Saturday held a meeting of VC of state-funded universities on several issues, including implementation of the New Education Policy, budget announcements and students' union elections, among others, official sources said. The vice-chancellors expressed concern over the use of money in the elections and disturbance in the academic works due to the process, they said. Taking their views on board, the government decided not to conduct students' union elections in 2023-24 and the order was issued by the department joint secretary.