Ashok Gehlot slams Rajasthan govt for not holding student union polls, questions ABVP's 'silence'

Jaipur, Aug 14 (PTI) Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said the ruling BJP did not want the youth to be politically aware after the state government submitted before the high court that it will not be able to conduct student union elections this year.

Gehlot, a former Rajasthan chief minister, also questioned the "silence" of RSS-affiliated student body Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on this issue.

He said the BJP's stance was "unfortunate and condemnable", accusing the party of discouraging democratic participation among the youth.

The state government, responding to a PIL filed by a Rajasthan University student, informed the Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday that it will not be able to conduct student union elections in the current academic year.

It said it took the decision after taking opinions from various vice chancellors, who were against the holding of elections for student unions as it would disrupt the session and the implementation of the New Education Policy, 2020.

Reacting to this, Gehlot said, "Student politics has produced leaders not only from Congress but also from BJP and other parties. Shouldn't these leaders speak up on this issue." How long the elections would be delayed under the pretext of the National Education Policy, 2020? he asked.

"Why is the RSS-affiliated student body ABVP silent on this issue?" Gehlot said, urging other student organisations to speak on the issue.

Police detained a Rajasthan University student leader, Shubham Rewad, to end his hunger strike on the matter.

Rewad was taken to the emergency ward at the Sawai Man Singh Hospital, where he was administered a drip and later released.

Gehlot condemned the "forcible removal" of student leaders from their protest on student union elections.

"In a democracy, protests, hunger strikes, and sit-ins are legitimate ways to voice one's concerns to the government," he said.

The Congress leader said that instead of using force, the state government should engage in a dialogue with these students and find a solution.

Student union elections in the state were last held in 2022. The elections were postponed by the then Congress government in 2023 citing assembly election preparations and the implementation of NEP.

The BJP government came to power in December 2023 but the elections were not held in 2024. College students have been demanding that the state government hold the elections.

Earlier this month, Congress' student wing NSUI held a massive demonstration in Jaipur to press for student union polls. PTI SDA SHS SHS SKY SKY