In the see-saw battle between AISA and ABVP in different campuses across the Hindibelt, AISA is on a comeback trail in Banaras Hindu University. Unlike SFI which takes a perverse pleasure at some of AISA's defeats while doing pretty little on its own to take on the communal students outfit, AISA vigorously fights back its way every inch. BHU once again hit national headlines with the reports of a students movement and the subsequent crackdown on it by the police. AISA has been a strong centre of resistance against the dictatorial ways of the VC, in the past one year. On December 20 last year, a statewide students' court, Chhatra Adalat, was held in the campus to put Rao, Advani and Laloo, the chief epitomes of liberalisation, Hindutava and social justice on trial. The police indiscriminately lathi-charged the students. A pitched battle ensued between the students and the police for 2 hours. The incident evoked a huge sympathy among the general students and this helped us emerge as a strong pole in the campus against other organisations like ABVP.
AISA decided to protest democratically against the police brutality. The next day the leaders sat on a fast but soon they were arrested by the police and beaten up. Again, we heightened our protests against the curbing of our rights to peacefully protest. Sunil Yadav, AISA National Secretary, went on an indefinite fast on January 6 to protest against the university administration's decision of imposing 75% compulsory attendance, expulsion of a student leader without proper hearing, hike in cafeteria prices and, most importantly, against the dictatorial attitude of the VC.
In the meanwhile, the students struggle committee which includes the student leaders owing allegiance to almost all shades of student organisations right from ABVP to SFI had given the call for a one-day Chhatra Hartal (students strike) on Jan.3. AISA did not join this students' struggle committee which is centred around Congress-oriented leaders and had the presence of corrupt and capitulationist students' union office bearers of ABVP in the committee. AISA has been consistently opposing all such alliances.
Nevertheless, Jan.3 strike was also not spared by the VC and the police. 19 of these student leaders were also arrested and put behind bars. The common students were enraged by the administration's attack on the struggles of students, which was becoming more and more frequent. A bunch of unruly students went on a rampage, burnt a government jeep and also blasted some bombs. This provided an excuse for the police and in the name of apprehending the culprits, they entered the hostels and beat up innocent students. The chief proctor of the university and the ADM (City) themselves led in abusing and beating the boys. The infuriated students called for an indefinite class-boycott.
In this tense situation even our peaceful form of protest invited the wrath of autocratic VC and the ADM(City). The police swooped down and arrested Sunil and two others from the fast site. Sunil continued his fast-unto-death in jail for 9 days. Com.Vinod Mishra visited the jail and expressed the party's commitment to highlight the movement on a national scale. Finally, after seeing the unperturbed resolve of the student leader to continue the fasting, police force-fed him. On being released a large protest march was brought out in the campus. Meanwhile during the days of the fast inside the jail by Sunil, the campus witnessed series of protests in the forms of marches, demonstrations etc., along with some sporadic incidents of throwing bombs and the campus came to a stand still.
AISA's initiatives in the past and especially during the last few days has helped us create an identity distinct from other organisations and their leaders. From here onwards we have ample opportunity to propagate our ideology and give a leftward shift to campus politics. Even our propaganda forms have set a new trend in the political culture of the campus. Events in BHU over the past year reflect the state of our universities where there is an orchestrated attempt to privatise education, curb democratic rights of protest and prop up the pro-administration student leaders. Learning the hard way, after our defeat in the last elections we have built up a popular students' organisation in the campus and are poised to challenge once again the hegemony of the ABVP in the students' union.
-Prashant Kumar