MANOJ KUMAR JENA, OP
Bhubaneswar: Students and various student organisations have welcomed the state government’s plans to resume elections in colleges and universities in the state after a gap of seven years. Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj Wednesday said that following the Chief Minister’s nod for resumption of campus polls, preparations are on to finalise the timing and modalities. “The government is considering conducting students’ union elections this year. Keeping that in mind, we are trying to cover the syllabus before Durga Puja so that studies won’t be affected,” Suraj said. Hailing the government move, Smita Mishra, a BBA student at Ravenshaw University said students’ union elections will resolve many grassroots issues in the campus. “Also it was much needed to produce better leaders for the future,” she said. Echoing similar sentiments, Tejeshwar Behera, a Post Graduation History student at Vani Vihar said, “Though we welcome the decision, the government, at the same time, should ensure that no violence takes place during the elections. Otherwise, our studies will be affected.”
Meanwhile, various students’ bodies have welcomed the plans, albeit skepticism. Biswapratap Sahoo, working president of Biju Chatra Janata Dal (BCJD) said, “BJP is a U-turn party. Their ministers are in the habit of doing the opposite of what they say. There are many instances when BJP takes a decision and reverses it later.” Sahoo however, said the outfit is nevertheless, prepared for the elections. “BCJD is ready for students’ union elections. We are always with the students. We will secure landslide victory if the elections are conducted in fair way,” he said. National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) state president Udit Pradhan said, “We welcome this initiative of the state government. The voices of students have been muted for the past seven years by the BJD and BJP governments. The present generation students need to be politically educated so that the country can produce great leaders. We are ready for the elections,” he said. He, however, cautioned that NSUI would stage all- out protests if the government develops a cold feet over the plans. “This government has a tendency to take U-turns. We will stage massive agitations if it fails to conduct the students’ union election this year,” he said. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) National Executive Council member Biswajeet Patra said, “It was the demand of ABVP for the past seven years to hold students’ election which now will be fulfilled.”
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Taking a dig at the previous state government, Patra said, “When BJD was in power, it cancelled the student elections to stop the evolution of youth leaders for their political benefits. That will end now. The campus elections will shape the student leadership landscape in the state.”
