Violence, protests and arguments have always been integral parts of elections in Delhi University. For other colleges, a tussle or violence among different groups in the season of elections might be a strange event but for the students of Delhi University,it is a day-to-day event. These events have been so frequent that the students have grown to become used to all this.If a fight breaks out between two groups, an average student across the country might get frightened but for the Delhi University students, it will be a sign that the election campaigning has started. Disgusting amount of pamphlets lying in the entire campus,violence among the groups and fake promises of development comprises everything that the students expect from the elections. You will get tired of hearing the clubs’ names, the ballot numbers and shaking hands with the contestants and as soon as the elections are over, neither you will see any more of the contestants nor will you find the development promised.
Just like every year,the election season has started to live up to its reputation.On Thursday,eight students from Motilal Nehru College Evening were punished after a fight broke out between two groups before a presidential debate.
Every year,elections are organised for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) and every college also elects its own student union.The college union elections are supposedly more democratic as no political party is involved but a few small college organizations.
United Panel is one such group in Motilal Nehru College Evening. Last Wednesday, this organisation organised a presidential debate.The debate was joined by BUDDIES CLUB (another such organization).This initiative was seen as a positive one by the students as it was something different from the usual fake promises. But as the debate was about to start, the students started hooting and soon, it resulted into a fight between the organising group and the members of another group. The security guards had to intervene to stop this fight. The next day, the members of Buddies Club, who were supporting the presidential debate the previous day and had voluntarily joined the debate organised protest demonstrations. There were loud slogans being shouted demanding the suspension of the students who has organised the debate. Students of another group called YUVA PANEL also joined the protest. These students went from class to class and announced that they wanted the organisers suspended and if the college administration didn’t suspend them, they would sit on an indefinite hunger strike. The administration remained quiet for some time. Seeing this, there protesters started blocking the main gate and kept shouting slogans against the college administration.
Monica Yadav, who is the presidential candidate for the BUDDIES CLUB soon filed a complaint with the college principal and she also called the police. She said, “The debate that was organised was absolutely unofficial without any permission and I was informed about it on the spot. On the name of the debate, they just gathered students and started cheering. The supporters of other clubs and panels did the same. Later, the supporters of UNITED PANEL got violent and started beating one of the members of my club (Buddies club). I was pushed in the chaos and was hit on my head and shoulders. Then I came out and called the police and went to the principal. Also, three girls from United Panel filed a complaint against me and said that I misbehaved and initiated the fight. I have proof that I am right and the three girls who filed the complaint against me are seen wandering around in some videos during the fight”.
Following the complaint and the FIR filed by Monica Yadav, the college administration suspended five students.
The FIR was filed in the South Campus police station against and the complaint was against eight students. The police used the video footage and eye witnessed to investigate the matter and the charges laid against the students are under the IPC’s sections 506, 323 and 34.
There were members of the United Panel claimed that the whole crowd supported their panel and the members of the Buddies Club initiated the fight to find an escape as they were not prepared at all for the debate.
One cannot be sure of as to which group was initiated the fight and which one did not. But this entire event has taken the college union politics to a new low.