DUSU polls: Campaigning ends, clashes ensure no campus debate

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“Our presidential candidate Pradeep Vijayran and vice-presidential candidate Prerna Singh were attacked by CYSS and ABVP goons as soon as they entered the PGDAV College for campaigning. Pradeep received seven-eight stitches on his head, Prerna fractured her arm. Police were present but didn’t intervene,” said NSUI president Roji M John.

ABVP state secretary Saket Bahuguna denied the charges. “Earlier, when they sent a message saying their candidate was attacked, they only blamed the CYSS. After half-an-hour, they said the ABVP was also involved? Fed by the rumours, the NSUI attacked our presidential candidate Satender Awana’s convoy in South Campus and hit his brother Vijaya Awana with bricks in Shraddhanand College,” he alleged.

John, however, said some students protested in South Campus because BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi was trying to enter Ram Lal Anand College without permission and in violation of the Lyngdoh Committee rules and claimed no candidate was attacked. “There is no question of the NSUI attacking ABVP candidates because none of us were campaigning in Shraddhanand,” he said.

CYSS state vice-president Anmol Panwar too denied the charges, saying the NSUI and ABVP were resorting to “cheap publicity”. “They haven’t worked throughout the year, that is why they are resorting to cheap publicity,” he said.

The parties this time campaigned actively on social media sites such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter to reach out to students. “Right from posting the party’s manifesto online to connecting with students, and even recruiting new volunteers, social networking sites have turned out to be the best platform to reach out to students. Leaders are directly getting in touch with students through Facebook pages and Twitter handles, and addressing students’ queries,” John said.