Bhubaneswar: The Odisha unit of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) Wednesday launched the ‘Campus Chalo Abhiyan’ to raise awareness among students about student union elections. The NSUI alleged that the state government is planning to withhold the elections, fearing defeat in the wake of the Balasore burn case, which involved ABVP students. The campaign was launched by NSUI National Secretary and Odisha in-charge Karan Tamsetwar at Congress Bhawan, in the presence of NSUI state general secretary Bibhuti Bhusan Mohapatra, former MP candidate Syed Yashir Nawaz, and other leaders.
Addressing the press conference, NSUI leaders alleged that the state government is conspiring to avoid holding student union elections in universities and colleges across Odisha. They claimed that the recent death of a girl student at Fakir Mohan Autonomous University in Balasore exposed ABVP’s involvement, tarnishing its reputation on campuses statewide. The NSUI further accused ABVP of fueling campus violence and criminal activities, affecting students, parents, and intellectuals alike. According to NSUI, fearing student backlash, the BJP government is deliberately planning to cancel student union elections.
Through the ‘Campus Chalo Abhiyan,’ NSUI leaders and members will visit universities and colleges across Odisha to mobilize students, demand campus elections, protest against violence, and highlight issues of student safety, especially for female students. NSUI also raised concerns over ragging, accusing the state government of failing to act, and vowed to fight for ragging-free campuses. The student body further criticised widespread corruption in educational institutions and the poor condition of government-run universities, where nearly 65 per cent of teaching posts remain vacant. Apart from student-related issues, NSUI said it will hold discussions on vote theft and conduct awareness campaigns for new voters.
