Shimla: Retaining their fortress, Students Federation of India swept the students elections at Himachal Pradesh University winning all four seats on the panel. Out of the three city colleges, SFI candidates also won in two of them, which included an all girls college. At one college National Students Union of India (NSUI) panel was declared winner.
Out of the total poll of 1807 votes, SFI’s Kushi Ram Veram secured 1080 votes to be declared as SCA president. Vipin Mehta by securing 1002 votes won as vice-president, Sunita Ranot polled 1040 votes to be declared winner as General Secretary and Ankush Mandyal by polling 1075 votes was winner for the joint secretary position in the elections.
The communist outfit has won the students body election for 10th year in a row.
Despite making a strong bid the BJP supported ABVP was unable to match the strength of their arch rivals on the campus with Baldve Deshta getting 642 votes for president, Priyanka Thakur 710 for vice-president, Rajinder Singh 684 for general secretary and Deepak Kumar 642 votes for Joint secretary.
Efforts to revive the congress supported NSUI on the campus has once again failed to have any impact as its panel of Uminder Kumar got a mere 43 votes for president, Vimal got 86 votes for vice-president, Pankaj Kumar got 99 votes for general secretary and Kamlesh Kumar got 78 votes for joint secretary.
With the peaceful completion of the university elections, spokesman Ranvir Verma disclosed that the university had declared Saturday to be a holiday.
In the city colleges, SFI panel swept the election on all four seats at RKMV Girls College and the Government Court Shera College whereas at Government Centre of Excellence College – Sanjauli it was the National Students Union of India (NSUI) panel that won the electoral battle.
With an electoral pool of 1492 votes at Government Centre of Excellence College – Sanjauli the NSUI panel of Arvind for president, Nitash for Vice, Dheeraj for General Secretary and Seema Negi for Joint Secretary post were declared winners.
At Court Shera college, the SFI panel of Mohit Thakur (president), Ashisa Sharma (vice-president), Anju Verma (General Secretary) and Dixit Chauhan ( Joint Secretary).
And in RKMV Girls College Shimla Samriti Tanwar(president), Ritu Shyam (vice-president), Ranjana Devi (General Secretary) and Monika Negi (Joint Secretary) respectively were declared winners.
RM Sharma, SP Shimla said that the election process was peaceful and there was not untoward incident in the run up to the polling process.
While SFI was been able to hold onto its stronghold in Shimla, elsewhere in the state ABVP has won most of the college elections.
In Una district ABVP virtually won all the colleges as it did in Mandi, Sundernagar, Ghumarwain, Kangra and Solan, Nahan and Poanta Sahib. Even in other colleges of Shimla district ABVP won in many colleges.
In Government College Kotkhai, the ABVP panel of Manoj Sharma, Dimple Siawta, Pooja Bhardwaj, and Ashish were declared winters, in Nerwa Government College it was the panel of Naresh Kumar, Aman Kumar, Kuldeep Suman and Richu Sharma of ABVP who were declared winner and in Rohru College it was again the ABVP panel of Anish Sharma, Bhupinder Negi, Dalip Kumar and Naveen Kumar who were declared winters
In Government college Sunni it was the ABVP panel of Neelam, Puneet, Pushpinder and Oma Prakesh who were declared winners as was the ABVP panel at Sarswati Nagar of Dinesh Kumar, Rajni Kant, Sandipa and Arun Kumar, who won the elections.
At Government College Theog the SFI panel of Lokinder Hata, Ashima, Jai Prakesh and Sandeep were declared winners.
At Government college Rampur it was Vikram Kaith of SFI who was declared President, Monika of NSUI won as vice-president, Munish also of NSUI as general secretary and Nitish Shyam of ABVP won as joint secretary.
Photo Credit: Amit Kanwar & Lalit Kumar
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
I wonder how many of these “sweepers” will ever know the victory ‘ V ‘ sign made famous by Sir Winston Churchill during war time ! Any Tom, Dick and Hari flashes it on any God damned occasson including getting bails for crimes!! I hoe this univ is in the news for better reasons, edu , what it is rimarily meant for…
Very true Vivek, What better has this election done to the students. We were lucky the year we passed in those 2 yrs there were no elections which mentained good environment for studies, harmony among students.
HEY COME ON GUYS you all should also realize that….. Its not too late and Univ is for taking good knowledge not for party baazi….
OK.. so these guys have won the elections and are flashing victory signs.. that may be a victory for them in these elections, but what about the victory for their fellow students who elected them, to begin with?
I am a bit of student association agnostic and a cynic at that too. I have always understood, that these associations are pretty much the breeding grounds for full time politics and sponsored by various political parties, in one way or another. Hence, the major unions, NSUI (known to be aligned with Congress), ABVP (known to be aligned with the BJP) and SFI (hmm… who are they aligned with? Communists.. I guess) etc.
Can someone fill us in on what these associations’ duties are as elected members of the such student bodies? What do they really do? What were the achievements of the previous elected association members?
Anil,
Asked a nice questions, there should be an archive of these elected student bodies where they can be held accountable for fake slogans and bogus leadership.
Indian polity is nothing more than an organised system of loot and corruption ..see at any level..villages..municipal committees..educational institutions…religious associations…sports associations….everywhere politicians have poked their dirty nose and keep infecting the whole system with more deadly virus than AIDS …paise kee bhookh ke liye they can even loot beggars if there are some uplifting schemes sponsored by World Bank where millions of dollars are to be pored in.
Student leaders keep saying Jai Hind …Lal Salam…conveying student community and masses about rise of vested interests of MNC’ in INDIA …unfair policies of WTO…and their own national party leaders when sit in power at New Delhi…start begging in front of world bank..inviting MNC’s to invest in INDIA…what a mockery…and non sense …not even university students have time to rationalize and keep following these blunders blindly…
Universities, College Campuses ..the dens for training youth towards criminalization of politics, the leaders trap their aggression, lure them with charms of this seat that position..taking their egos to point of no return..and handicap them with rotten selfish loot system of dirty INDIAN politics…drafting conspiracies for defeating opponents with hook and crook…every night before these elections.. wine and money flow like water..and party workers are used like laborers..I have seen all this with my student life in Shimla 15 years back !
Every year SFI clean sweeps university elections..then where do these people get lost in woods after they pass out from universities? I know many leaders of SFI from past history…Chauhan ..elected president from Govt college Kot Shera, Mahender Stan..Rajinder Verma..Raja from Sanjaouli college..i know everyone knows these guys..from SFI banner fought elections became presidents of CSA …and when got passed out from colleges..joined congress and became contractors…started minting money and by exploiting politics..lols..forgot Bharat Mata and all.. LAL SALAM….just saluted leaders of opposition sitting in Vidhan Sabha..and got money and benefits out of it.
Lal Salam bas nare lagane ke liye hai…just win elections…get recognized and make a deal for survival for future by joining opposition party..In Lal Salam Walon ki aur CSA office bearers ki archive bhi honi chahiye…so that after 5 years..public could get to know where they are doing Salam and jai hind..fake slogans and bogus leaders..
Why SFI wins in student elections have been a big Q for the past many years. One reason from my experience as a student back in the 90s can say, it is the positioning of the party. They position themselves as anti establishment, be it the Congress or the BJP. It is very easy for a young lad of 18-19 years who enters the college and wants to ‘change the world’ to get swayed by SFI.
ABVP and NSUI being affiliated to ruling class party have a disadvantage to this effect. Also the regional flavor is a major factor. RSS-BJP being more active in the lower regions of the state, ABVP has been strong in these places. Earlier, Rakesh Singha had a considerable sway over the youth in Shimla and adjoining areas and one main factor SFI was very strong in these places. After he went into the party, SFI has seen a dent in it’s support base in these areas.
What do student parties do? Nothing!!
They are just breeding grounds for people who want to become politicians. Sukhwinder Sukhu, Ram Lal Markandey, Tikender Panwar, Sanju Chauhan have all come through campus politics only.
Back then, there was no direct interference from the political bosses in the campus as it can be seen now. Student leaders were left to fend for themselves. Sukhu could be seen ferrying cylinders of entire Chotta Shimla area in his khatara jeep when he was NSUI president. This ‘samaj seva’ helped him to win as a Councillor later.
Unlike today, the politicians would not jump on every occasion to enter the campus.
Protests were symbolic, like SFI would organise a play called, ‘Raja Ka Baaja’ . The play would not have any reference to the the real ‘Raja’ but the title would be chosen such to convey the message. NSUI, led by Sanjay Bragta, now popular TV newsmen would then stage a walkout shouting slogans.
Why SFI has not been able to convert it’s college supremacy into votes because they could not sustain the cadre. There supporters could support them at the college level but rejected venturing into the communist ideology. Once back from the college, these very supporters become Congressmen.
On the other hand, ABVP has been able to sustain it’s cadre right upto the electrol battle. Markandey is an example. Back in college he was one of the few ABVP activist.
The Raja you mentioned, became a contractor, not because of lal salaam, but by getting married in the right family. You know what I mean 🙂
Well… I did some internet searches, but didn’t find much in terms of these student unions’ or SCA’s online presence.
ABVP’s website failed to launch. NSUI website did launch, but had very little information, mostly bland. Now, SFI website is a bit different story, their site did come and even had some good information into what they stand for etc, but didn’t see any Himachal unit/chapter site.
I didn’t find anything online for SCA either, other than news bits and blog posts regarding the elections and clashes.
In my earlier post, I mentioned my personal cynical opinion about such associations from 17 or 18 years back, but a lot has changed since, for better or worse.. I am not sure… but I hope, the change has been for the better.
I am pretty sure that students did find these associations meaningful since, such high percentage of them appear to have participated in the recent elections.
Would any current students like to discuss as to what they think, the role of these associations ought to be in their student lives?
Anil,
The role of current student party leaders and associations is limited to smile back when they happen to meet students occasionally ..in campus near canteens or ADM bocks..lols..
What do we expect out of these ex student leaders ..are they revolutionaries or will bring out some substantial change in Himachal? No ways..their only task is to keep themselves politically alive by commenting on woes of poor public..at any cost..bring frustrations in them…use them for organising rallies.. and keep attacking ruling parties with press statements. This is the only way for them to pass time in politics..i know these ex students as well, how much able and capable they are..By keeping beard or wearing red shirts.. one can not try and imitate to become Karl Marx..they think they are super intellectuals with a vision to change the whole world ..except themselves..lols
When communists leaders or the student leaders of SFI themselves are not loyal to their organisation …then why public should bother to invest in their dying ideology..
Very Nice, “Ex Student” ji… very insightful response and historical references.
Rajneesh ji.. you are right… there appears to be a lot of bigotry in play as well. Regardless of the student union… I think, it is not a matter of ideology any more. Its all been reduced to winning favors from those in power at the time. CHADTE SURAJ KO SALAM KIYA JATA HAI.
Earlier responders to this post, also put forth some valid arguments for students to mind their primary mission of attaining education and performing well at that, rather than indulging in activities that don’t help their careers one bit. There are other extra-curricular activities, the students may consider taking up, instead.
I can understand, that at the college-going age, the students are very impressionable and the participation in a democratic process is very new to them. Students can learn and experience democratic processes in many other ways than participate in such non-productive activities.
It is productive for the leaders to run and win elections because that’s what helps their potential and future “political” careers, for others its non-productive, disruptive and many a times, a nuisance!