DUSU Elections 2024: 'Left or Right, We Need Change – Who Will Drive It?

In this DUSU elections, we need a change. We need someone who listens to students and resolves their issues.

Delhi University students vote in the DUSU elections today.

(Image altered by The Quint/Vibhushita Singh)

Graffitis, posters – and high-octane campaigning. As Delhi University once again sees a classic political battle between the Left and the Right parties today, the only thing left for us, the students, is to find an answer to the question: Who will listen to us?

As I went around the campus asking students who they were going to vote for, the answers were rather perplexing.

While the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has been the most successful organisation in Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections for the past 10 years, followed by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), one can also see the rise of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Students' Association (AISA).

Even as all these parties voice the concerns of the students, all of them fail to offer any constructive solutions.

The only thing left for us, the students, is to find an answer to the question: who will listen to us?

(Photo Credit: Ankita Baidya)

Finding Answers

When I asked Anamika, the Joint Secretarial candidate from AISA-SFI alliance, she pointed out how the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) under the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) is not practical and needs to be scrapped. 

However, the question is: if it is removed, are we to continue with the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) model? If we are to follow the UGCF model, then how will its structural issues be addressed? Will a committee be formed, and if so, what would the timeline be?

There are so many questions that I and others want to ask, but perhaps the issues need to be highlighted first, and then the solutions can follow.

When I asked Priyanka Mukherjee, a student from Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, about her expectations from this year’s elections, she pointed out was how the polls have been reduced to “money and muscle” politics. 

“DUSU elections have been reduced to a game of muscle and money. The actions of the parties are quite ironic to their promises. While student parties rally for women's safety, the candidates of these same parties forcefully enter women's colleges, and vandalise university property, all under the banner of student election, which is a so-called symbol of youth democracy.”

Priyanka Mukherjee, Student

DUSU elections have been reduced to a game of muscle and money, says one student.

(Photo credit: Ankita Baidya)

Last year, members of the ABVP allegedly scaled the walls of Miranda House and entered the college premises forcefully in the name of campaigning. This year, NSUI was accused of a similar act.

When I asked Pushkar Kharb, a former DUSU candidate (2023) from ABVP, about the organisation’s style of campaigning, he explained how the cars, loud rallies, and uncountable flyers help them win the elections.

“This happens every year. Students see the cars, rallies, and flyers, and they express their objections. However, candidates who do not participate in these activities have a lower chance of winning, and any election without them feels incomplete,” he said.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has been the most successful organisation in DUSU elections for the past 10 years.

(Photo credit: Ankita Baidya)

'Who is With us?'

The biggest names in DUSU elections are ABVP and NSUI, who have positioned themselves in such a way that any fundamental change must be driven by them. The question remains: is their work enough to drive change?

Recently, the High Court directed the DU vice-chancellor to decide on representation for women's reservation in DUSU polls. The court passed the order while disposing of a petition, seeking 50 percent reservation for women in the DUSU elections.

Uncountable number of flyers covering the streets around Delhi University is a usual phenomenon during the elections.

(Photo credit: Ankita Baidya)

Speaking on the reservation for women in DUSU polls, Bharat Sharma said, “The ABVP welcomes this move. We have always supported our girls to take leadership roles. However, the change cannot come if only the leaders are expected to work."

"The women have to step up and come out to drive this change. The ABVP has in place a lot of programmes and it has worked towards bringing a change. I feel this is still not enough and a lot more work needs to be done before we achieve our final goal," added Sharma.

While an attitude like such is the need of the hour in the hyper-masculine environment that DU has, but the organisation’s campaigning tactics leave us in doubt about their aim and aspirations, even though they had organised a cleaning drive post their campaigning rallies.

Saavy Gupta, the presidential candidate from the AISA-SFI alliance, said, “It is very convenient to blame women for not coming forward. We need to consider the type of environment and the kind of society we are in."

"When I joined DUSU, I realised how male-dominated it is. It is difficult for us to speak our minds in a room full of men, especially those who act like goons. It is not easy, and not everyone has the privilege to speak up, so we need to create a safe space for women so they can come forward just like men."

Saavy Gupta, the presidential candidate from the AISA-SFI alliance

A total of 21 candidates are in the fray for the DUSU elections.

 (Photo credit: Ankita Baidya)

Ayush, the vice presidential candidate from the AISA-SFI bloc, too, expressed that the entire political space needs a better representation because students come from all over the country to study in DU. There is a need for change, a change that represents all.

Meanwhile, Priyanka Mukherjee, a student, said, “While male DUSU leaders in the past have bypassed the need for a female candidate, it is important to understand that having a woman president would be more fruitful if DU wants to witness women empowerment in the next year, considering the factor of shared experiences and the relatability a woman might have to the issues of the community."

"Such representation, not only in terms of gender but caste and economic minority is also essential to give rise to an inclusive leadership cohort as the party in power has done minimal towards the safety of women and minorities within the university despite several promises.”

Priyanka Mukherjee, Student

'Choosing The Right One'

Talking to the students, I realised we do not have any expectations from DUSU.

For this year, one of the main focuses has been the women. Though the Left has countered the Right and the students have questioned their tactics, they still stand strong with their viewpoint. 

“We need to choose alternate politics this time. We have to give a chance to common students, especially women, in order to bring out change. Please come out in large numbers to vote," Savvy added.

These elections are definitely important for maintaining a democratic space, but we need someone who listens to us, resolves our issues, and has the patience to sit with us and understand our concerns.

Whoever comes to power, one thing is for sure: we need a change. We need this change for ourselves, our professors, and for all those who wish to come here. So, in the end, I have only one question: will you listen to me if I vote for you?

(Ankita Baidya is a student of Journalism from Kalindi College, Delhi University.)

(All 'My Report' branded stories are submitted by citizen journalists to The Quint. Though The Quint enquires into the claims/allegations from all parties before publishing, the report and the views expressed above are the citizen journalist's own. The Quint neither endorses, nor is responsible for the same.)