SFI and AISF Candidates Prevented from Filing Nominations by ABVP Activists

On the last date of filing nominations for the upcoming Delhi University Students’ Union elections, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists allegedly attacked candidates from Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and All India Students’ Federation (AISF). As a result, three SFI candidates and one from AISF were prevented from filing their nomination forms.

This is yet another case that has surfaced of ‘hooliganism’ of the student organ of the right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which has secured media attention for all the wrong reasons this students’ election season – from disrupting documentary screening to installing Savarkar’s bust.

In a press statement, SFI has condemned the “undemocratic and violent” attacks by ABVP and has demanded that the nominations of the SFI and AISF candidates must be accepted, forms of which were torn twice by the ABVP during the attack.

“Paramanand Sharma, a visually impaired student, and a member of the AISF, and Vikas Bhadauria the Delhi State President of SFI was brutally attacked in this incident (sic),” the statement added.

NewsClick spoke to Varkey Parakkal, a student pursuing masters in Delhi School of Economics, according to whom, the second time the ABVP goons attacked the candidates, it was in front of the police. However, the police remained a mute spectator and no action was taken, he alleged.

“We were greatly outnumbered,” said Parakkal, “and as a result of the attack couldn’t file the nomination forms.”

Parakkal was at the Maurice Nagar Police Station, when he spoke to NewsClick, with other SFI students to file a FIR against the attack. Sharma and Bhaduria, on the other hand, have been hospitalised.

SFI will approach the High Court tomorrow and a complaint will be registered with the proctor and the election commission regarding the acceptance of the nominations, he added.