TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Students backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha (BJPYM) swept the Goa University Students’ Council elections aided by a boycott by the National Students Union of India and the Nationalist Congress Party students’ wing.
Anish Joshi was elected the chairman of the Students Council of Goa University, while Hemali Dessai will be the General Secretary.
After the victory, the winning panel organized a motorcade from the Goa University to Miramar and further converged on the BJP office in Panjim.
The NSUI as well as the Nationalist Student Congress have however cried foul in the election process leading them to boycott the process.
“We are not happy with the process. The system is such that it can be easily manipulated and abused by the ruling party. In the bargain students’ issues get lost. We demand that there be open elections and a direct form of election wherein students of all colleges elect the GUSC panel and put an end to such unfair and unhealthy practice of elections,” Hasiba Amin State President of the NSUI said.
Amin alleged that 12 of their University Faculty Representatives were disqualified, four of whose names had just ‘disappeared’ from the lists and that they haven’t yet received satisfactory justification for either the disqualification or the disappearance of the names.
Ritesh Rawal, state president of the NSUI has said that in the light of the malpractices, it is a change in the system that can bring about hope for students issues to be addressed.
“We have and will always fight against Injustice towards the student community. Hope a much needed change in the election system is adapted by the Goa University before the students of the state lose all hopes on the entire system.
The NSUI has meanwhile decided to hold a signature campaign to push for reforms in the University election process.
“We want to revive the student movement. We hope the University gives heed to the voice of the students,” Amin said.
