As the bugle of student union election has been blown and student union groups are ready for the ‘Ultimate Fight’ to ensure their seats in the campus election being conducted after a gap of nine years at Ranchi University (RU) is witnessing several glitches.
Major issues like fund crunch, security factors, conflict between various student union groups at different colleges are on rise at the moment and have crippled the election procedure. The recent clash between the members of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and All Jharkhand Student Union (AJSU) at Doranda College during the election campaign reveals the vulnerability of students in terms of security.
Presently, several student union groups have initiated their election campaign procedure at various colleges under RU to lure young voters. However, despite the election campaign commencement at colleges on wider perspective, university is yet to ensure proper security measures to avoid clashes that eventually creates hassle in colleges and effects day to day college administrative functioning.
Though several student union groups have asked for security arrangements at all colleges keeping safety facets in mind but by far no such arrangements are being taken care of by the university. “Even though after submitting in writing to RU officials for ensuring security during the election campaign process sometime ago yet until now no steps has been considered about it. University officials have claimed that only after issuing the notification all facets will be considered,” said ABVP State convener, Atal Pandey.
On the contrary, citing the student union election guidelines, Dean Student Welfare (DSW) RU, Dr. SC Gupta, added, “Any State owned university is not responsible to provide any security assistance to the student union groups as per the student election norms. If any student group is carrying out election campaign at a college, it is the sole responsibility of that specific college to guarantee security on its campus premises. For additional aid, student leaders must take permission from Vice-Chancellor especially if they want extra security.”
Notably, on November 17 two student union groups while campaigning at Doranda College involved themselves in variance with each other creating anarchy like situation on campus.
Nevertheless, Doranda College Principal, VS Tiwari denied the entire student paddle that occurred on campus premises. “Unnecessary hype is being given to this entire incident. This is just a publicity stunt before student union
election. Complaint has already been registered. As per the rule, student union groups have not taken college management permission for campaigning inside college and they were just loitering around on November 17. Things went hay bay over some small matter,” Tiwari pointed out.