Student unions hand out sops — from free movie tickets to free joyrides — and serve up big promises
It is time for big campaigns, car rallies, debates, discussions and sloganeering at the Delhi University as different unions are wooing students for the upcoming DU Students’ Union (DUSU) elections. While appeasement activities by some unions like giving out free movie tickets and ferrying students to the amusement parks are on, the ABVP has decided this time to stick to organic campaigning. However, whether they actually will stick to that or not, is something that time will tell.
For years the campaigning season is known as the time when fast food joints serve free burgers, fresher parties get more happening and freebies are the talk of town. With the lyngdoh Committee rules and regulations binding candidates in their campaigns, different student unions, which are not officially recognised by the university, arrange for various appeasements for students. However, this year not much activity in this context can be seen on the campus. This time, instead of free burgers and parties for students, it is a trip to amusement parks and giving free movie tickets that are keeping the unions occupied.
However, no student organisation wishes to accept that they are the ones giving out freebies. But students are told specifically on who organises what. According to students in the South Campus, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has arranged several fresher parties for students in different colleges and is even ferrying students for free visits of amusement parks. “We are getting free movie tickets as well and have been specifically told that NSUI is doing this,” said a student of Satyawati College.
So far ABVP has been rumoured to have given out freebies to students, but the organisation leaders denied it. Rohit Chahal, national secretary of ABVP, said, “We have decided we will not be giving out freebies. We are sure the NSUI is giving out these freebies as students have come and asked us why we aren’t doing anything for them. But we have taken a decision to steer clear of such tactics.”