Latest news with #LeftUnity
The Hindu
30-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
‘Veg-only' poster in JNU hostel sparks protest
NEW DELHi A poster reading 'Veg only, everyone please co-operate' pasted inside Jawaharlal Nehru University's Mahi-Mandavi hostel has triggered sharp political tensions within the students' union. The three Left Unity post-holders of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) accused the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) of pushing 'divisive food segregation' and attempting to 'saffronise' the university's culture. In a joint statement, JNUSU President Nitish, Vice-President Manisha, and General Secretary Munteha said: 'In another disturbing ploy to divide the amity among the student community, the President of Mahi-Mandavi Hostel (from ABVP) has segregated the seating arrangements for vegetarian and non-vegetarian boarders.' The student leaders said they had approached the senior hostel warden, who claimed he was unaware of any such measure. 'The senior warden categorically stated that no such divisive measure had been brought to his knowledge prior to our report. He assured that an inquiry committee will be constituted to fix responsibility for this violation of hostel norms,' they added. ABVP's JNUSU joint secretary Vaibhav Meena defended the poster, saying it was put up by students observing Sawan, a month considered sacred by many Hindus. 'Vegetarian students have never objected despite being made uncomfortable. But now that the Left is asserting its stance, we will too,' he said. The Left Unity leaders countered: 'Let us be very clear, JNU has no history of food policing. This attempt to divide students is not an isolated event but part of a larger, concerted effort by ABVP to saffronise the campus and disrupt its inclusive culture.' University officials did not respond to queries from The Hindu.
The Hindu
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
JNUSU results: Left Unity wins three posts, ABVP makes comeback with one post
In closely contested polls, both rival student groups — the Left Unity panel and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) — made it to the central panel of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU), with the Left Unity clinching three posts and ABVP making a comeback after 10 years by securing victory in one post. The Left Unity's Nitish Kumar of All India Students' Association (AISA) won the president's post, while Manisha and Munteha Fatima from the Democratic Students' Federation (DSF) won the vice-president and general secretary posts respectively. Meanwhile, ABVP's Vaibhav Meena secured the post of joint secretary. ABVP also said that it had won 24 councillor posts out of 42. This year, the United Left split into two blocks with Students' Federation of India (SFI) forming the Left-Ambedkarite panel with Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association (BAPSA), All India Students' Federation (AISF) and Progressive Students' Association (PSA); and All India Students' Association (AISA) allying with Democratic Students' Federation (DSF) to form the Left Unity panel. Close battle The two sides saw a neck-and-neck battle with low margins determining the results. While Mr. Kumar beat ABVP's presidential candidate Shikha Swaraj by a margin of 272 votes, the new JNUSU vice-president Ms. Manisha beat ABVP's candidate Nitthu Goutham by 34 votes, and general secretary Ms. Munteha emerged victorious with 114 votes more than ABVP's Kunal Rai. Meanwhile, ABVP's Mr. Meena beat Left Unity candidate Naresh Kumar for the joint secretary post by only 85 votes. JNU has been a stronghold for both AISA and SFI. Both groups have been fighting together since 2016 under the United Left alliance with the aim of collectively combating the RSS-affiliated ABVP. The last ABVP candidate to have won a post in the central panel was Saurabh Sharma, who was elected as the joint secretary in 2015. Soon after the declaration of results, ABVP said that it was unfurling the 'saffron flag in JNU' and 'breaching the Left's red fortress'. Tense collaboration Mr. Meena, who hails from Rajasthan and has a tribal background, said, 'My win is not personal achievement but a massive victory of tribal consciousness and the nationalist ideology, which has been suppressed by the Left in this varsity for years.' He said that the ABVP is committed to a vision of JNU where 'dialogue, inclusivity and academic excellence are paramount'. 'We will be fighting for campus issues, and we have the backing of the councillors, so the Left will have to work with us this coming term,' he said. Meanwhile, the Left Unity said that ABVP's win needs to be viewed against the larger backdrop of 'structural changes' in JNU. While the Left Unity post-holders said that they hope to address the issue of fund cuts, accessibility and infrastructure, particularly in libraries and laboratories, they said they are apprehensive of a lack of coordination. 'Last time, Saurabh Sharma did not coordinate with the left and led a campaign to shut down JNU. We will put efforts into working together and hope a similar situation doesn't arise,' Mr. Kumar said. Ms. Manisha said, 'When it comes to fund cuts for infrastructure, ABVP will protest but not do anything about it. Their government is in power so they should be able to secure it. But unlike them, we will work towards securing funds for better infrastructure.'
The Hindu
27-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
JNUSU results: Left Unity wins three posts, ABVP enters JNUSU after ten years with one
The Left Unity panel won three seats in the Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU), while Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) won one seat, after a gap of ten years. Through the night, JNU witnessed celebrations on both sides with red and saffron flags dotting the campus. The post of President was won by the Left Unity's Nitish Kumar, Vice-President post by Manisha, and General Secretary post by Munteha. This year, after a split with Students' Federation of India (SFI), All India Students' Association had allied with Democratic Students' Federation (DSF). While Nitish Kumar is from AISA, Manisha and Muntaha are from DSF. Vaibhav Meena from ABVP won the Joint Secretary post, making him the first in recent history to have won a central panel post. Meanwhile, ABVP said that it had won 24 councillor posts out of 42. The last ABVP candidate to have won was Saurabh Sharma in 2015 who won the Joint Secretary post, marking its return to campus after 15 years. In 2000, ABVP's Sandeep Mahapatra won the Presidential post. This year, the United Left split into two blocks with Students' Federation of India formed the Left-Ambedkarite panel with Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA), All India Students Federation (AISF) and Progressive Students Association (PSA), and All India Students' Association (AISA) allying with Democratic Students' Federation (DSF). JNU has been a stronghold for the left with both All India Students' Association (AISA) and Students' Federation of India (SFI) winning multiple Presidential terms. AISA and SFI have been fighting together since 2016 under the Left Unity alliance, with the aim of collectively combating RSS-affiliated ABVP. This year, ABVP hoped to come to power as the split in the alliance presented them with a 'good opportunity to hoist the tricolour in JNU'. Soon after the declaration of results ABVP said that it was unfurling the 'saffron flag in JNU' and breaching the left's 'red fortress'. ABVP's Vaibhav Meena, from Rajasthan and hails from an ST community. He said, 'I am not at all considering this victory as my personal achievement or gain but it's a massive and fascinating victory of tribal consciousness and the nationalist ideology which has been suppressed by the left in the varsity for years.' Earlier the three Left Unity candidates told The Hindu that if they came to power, they would work on issues such as rolling back the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, infrastructural issues such as the degrading situation in hostels, and academic issues such as campus recruitment. The Left Unity said in a statement that while it has retained its victory, the elections are happening in the larger context of 'structural changes in JNU'. It added, 'It is the need of the hour that all progressive organisations and forces on campus now resolve to come together to fight this formidable challenge of entrance of the ABVP in JNUSU.'
