PaRCha - JNU - All Organisations - 2012 ID-54226
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IS THE SPECTRE OF SFI-JNU HAUNTING.THE AISA? .
.
28.08.2012 .
.
Instead of clarifying and responding to the criticisms of the AISA-led JNl.J~' 1 for its non-performance, the AI SA has chosen to laun9h a diatribe against the SFI-JNU through its pamphlet dated 27.08.2012. This is typical of the AISA, which has mastered the art of evading accountability vis-a-vis the functioning of the JNUSU by viciously attacking those who pose uncomfortable questions before them. .
DENYING ACCOUNTABILITY, EVADING STUDENT ISSUES .
An important purpose of the annual school GBMs is to assess the functioning of the JNUSU and hold the elected representatives accountable vis-8-vis their pre-election commitments and what they have been able to deliver on student tssues. What needs to be noted is that the AISA has absolutely no answers to provide as far as the whole range of student issues is concerned: .
On Social Inclusion: (a) Why was the JNUSU agitation in March 2012 withdrawn without getting a concrete assurance from the JNU administration regarding the reduction of the viva voce marks in MPhil entrance for 2012? Why did the AISA conceal from the students that it had agreed in the AC meeting on 191h March that the viva-voce weightage issue will be discussed only in the next meeting in November 2012? Why did the JNUSU fail to ensure fulfilment of SC/ST/OBC reservation in 2012 admissions? (b) In view of the high drop-out rates, especially in SL, why couldn't the JNUSU ensure that remedial classes are started and text books provided in vernacular languages? (c) Why couldn't the amount of the MCM scholarships be enhanced and the duration of the non-NET UGC scholarship for PhD students extended? (d) Why were the eligibility criteria for OBC students not reduced and why discrimination continues vis-a-vis allotting hostels to OBC students? (e) Why mandated PH reservation has not been fulfilled this year and no initiative was undertaken to mstituie scholarships for PH students? (n Why was the list of recognised Madarsas elig1ble for JNU admiss1ons not expanded? Why nothing has been done to get the relevant recommendations of Ranganath Mishra and Sachar Committee implemented in JNU despite the proportion of Muslim minority students decreasing over time? .
On Infrastructure Expansion and Students Facilities: (a) Why did the JNUSU fail to raise the issue of construction of new hostels despite a serious hostel crisis afflicting the students? (b) Why no initiatives were taken to improve the facilities in the health centre, ensuring internet facility in hostels and improving transport facilities, like Metro-feeder buses? (c) Why have cultural dub elecbons not taken place till date and most sports clubs are lying defunct? Why couldn't the annual festivals hke Kallol and Summit be organized th1s year? (d) What has the JNUSU done to pressurize the JNU administration to ~II up vacant teaching posts and stop contractualisation of non-teaching staff? .
On Campus Democracy: (a) How many elected student representatives from other universities participated in the "nationallf convention organised by the JNUSU on the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations? How many JNU students participated in the Conve.ntion? (b) Why did the JNUSU office-bearers fail to bring the agenda of restoring the JNUSU Constitution to the fore? (c) Why did the JNUSU fail to take initiative in removing the discriminatory grade-point criteria for AC/BoS elections or reviving the SFCs across Centres and Schools? .
ZERO ACHIEVEMENT UNION SFI-JNU's criticism of the AISA-Ied JNUSU as a zero achievement union is based on these concrete issues. which the AISA had itself committed to resolve through their "Perspective and Agenda.. for the .
.
JNUSU elections in March 2012. It is understandable that being a union with a short tenure all the issues could not have possibly been resolved. What was -expected, however, were meaningful initiatives and serious struggles towards achieving at least some concrete gains for the students and advancing the student movement. What was witnessed instead was a sham a·gitation in March 2012 which only Jed to the formation of myriad committees and vague recommendations. There was NO CONCRETE ACHIEVEMENT on any of the issues, only tokenism and vacuous promises of delivering on them in the future. Moreover, the AISA lauhched sectarian attacks against any initiative undertaken by·others, be it on the.Yamuna hostel agitation, the struggle of the PHNH students or the protest march called by SIS Councillor Comrade Lenin against non-fulfilment of reservations in admissions. .
SFI-JNU's criticisms of the AISA-Ied JNUSU are therefore not "malicious" or wslanderous~ campaigns but an effort to hold the elected representatives accountable vis-a-vis their own commitments. AISA would do well to categorically respond to the concrete questions on student issues rather than evading them by attacking SFI-JNU. A/SA 's pamphlet suggest that since the SIS or SAA Convenors' reports were passed by a majority vote, the JNUSU does not need to respond to any of the questions posed by other student organisations. This is arrogance and hubris at its worst and reflects the deeply sectarian and anti-democratic mindsef of the A/SA leadership. .
WHO IS INDULGING IN CRASS ELECTORAL OPPOSRTUNISM? .
.
AISA's pamphlet shamelessly accuses the SFI-JNU of "electoral opportunism~ by selectively quoting from our pamphlets and facebook posts. The SFt-JNu-eame-tnto befng onty because the SFt all-India leadership "dissolved" the entire JNU unit of the SFI and expelled 4 Delhi State Committee members from JNU for adopting a dissenting political position vis-a-vis the CPI {M)'s support for Congressman Pranab Mukherjee in the Presidential elections, even when the CPI and RSP decided to abstain. .
In its pamphlet dated 8th July 2012, AISA stated that it "welcomes this decision of the SF/'s JNU Unit to oppose CPI (M)'s support to Pranab Mukherjee .. The SFI's leaflet dated July 7 has also indicated much the same analysis -that "in a left-leaning campus like JNU: Smgur and Nandigram ·eroded the SFI's support base among the progressive and democratic minded students," and led to SF Is defeat 1n the JNUSU elections of 2007 and 2012... We note that SF/ JNU unit, m its latest leaflet, has raised some of these issues (especially relating to Singur, Nandigram, and TP Chandrasekharan) as well, taking a posnion sharp/y.different from the official CPJ (M) line.· .
The CPI-ML General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya has written in the August issue of his party mouthpiece Uberation: "In JNU, the traditional CPI (M)/SFI citadel, (often called the CPI {M)'s fourth bastion after West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura), the entire SF! unit has been dissolved and dubbed a 'B team of the ultra-Left A/SA' for questioning and opposing the CPI (M) decision to support Pranab Mukherjee! Can there be a bigger .
proof of the CPI (M)'s growing rightward deviation or derailment that any radical political dissent within the party or mass organisations is dubbed ultra-Left and banished forthwith?" .
While "welcoming" SFI-JNU's "radical political dissent" in July-August, why is the AISA doing an about-turn and terming it "electoral opportunism" on the eve of September? ~ Who 1s indulging in -electoral opportumsm" here? Did ~ .
.
.
.
PaRCha - JNU - All Organisations - 2012 ID-54226
.
IS THE SPECTRE OF SFI-JNU HAUNTING.THE AISA? .
.
28.08.2012 .
.
Instead of clarifying and responding to the criticisms of the AISA-led JNl.J~' 1 for its non-performance, the AI SA has chosen to laun9h a diatribe against the SFI-JNU through its pamphlet dated 27.08.2012. This is typical of the AISA, which has mastered the art of evading accountability vis-a-vis the functioning of the JNUSU by viciously attacking those who pose uncomfortable questions before them. .
DENYING ACCOUNTABILITY, EVADING STUDENT ISSUES .
An important purpose of the annual school GBMs is to assess the functioning of the JNUSU and hold the elected representatives accountable vis-8-vis their pre-election commitments and what they have been able to deliver on student tssues. What needs to be noted is that the AISA has absolutely no answers to provide as far as the whole range of student issues is concerned: .
On Social Inclusion: (a) Why was the JNUSU agitation in March 2012 withdrawn without getting a concrete assurance from the JNU administration regarding the reduction of the viva voce marks in MPhil entrance for 2012? Why did the AISA conceal from the students that it had agreed in the AC meeting on 191h March that the viva-voce weightage issue will be discussed only in the next meeting in November 2012? Why did the JNUSU fail to ensure fulfilment of SC/ST/OBC reservation in 2012 admissions? (b) In view of the high drop-out rates, especially in SL, why couldn't the JNUSU ensure that remedial classes are started and text books provided in vernacular languages? (c) Why couldn't the amount of the MCM scholarships be enhanced and the duration of the non-NET UGC scholarship for PhD students extended? (d) Why were the eligibility criteria for OBC students not reduced and why discrimination continues vis-a-vis allotting hostels to OBC students? (e) Why mandated PH reservation has not been fulfilled this year and no initiative was undertaken to mstituie scholarships for PH students? (n Why was the list of recognised Madarsas elig1ble for JNU admiss1ons not expanded? Why nothing has been done to get the relevant recommendations of Ranganath Mishra and Sachar Committee implemented in JNU despite the proportion of Muslim minority students decreasing over time? .
On Infrastructure Expansion and Students Facilities: (a) Why did the JNUSU fail to raise the issue of construction of new hostels despite a serious hostel crisis afflicting the students? (b) Why no initiatives were taken to improve the facilities in the health centre, ensuring internet facility in hostels and improving transport facilities, like Metro-feeder buses? (c) Why have cultural dub elecbons not taken place till date and most sports clubs are lying defunct? Why couldn't the annual festivals hke Kallol and Summit be organized th1s year? (d) What has the JNUSU done to pressurize the JNU administration to ~II up vacant teaching posts and stop contractualisation of non-teaching staff? .
On Campus Democracy: (a) How many elected student representatives from other universities participated in the "nationallf convention organised by the JNUSU on the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations? How many JNU students participated in the Conve.ntion? (b) Why did the JNUSU office-bearers fail to bring the agenda of restoring the JNUSU Constitution to the fore? (c) Why did the JNUSU fail to take initiative in removing the discriminatory grade-point criteria for AC/BoS elections or reviving the SFCs across Centres and Schools? .
ZERO ACHIEVEMENT UNION SFI-JNU's criticism of the AISA-Ied JNUSU as a zero achievement union is based on these concrete issues. which the AISA had itself committed to resolve through their "Perspective and Agenda.. for the .
.
JNUSU elections in March 2012. It is understandable that being a union with a short tenure all the issues could not have possibly been resolved. What was -expected, however, were meaningful initiatives and serious struggles towards achieving at least some concrete gains for the students and advancing the student movement. What was witnessed instead was a sham a·gitation in March 2012 which only Jed to the formation of myriad committees and vague recommendations. There was NO CONCRETE ACHIEVEMENT on any of the issues, only tokenism and vacuous promises of delivering on them in the future. Moreover, the AISA lauhched sectarian attacks against any initiative undertaken by·others, be it on the.Yamuna hostel agitation, the struggle of the PHNH students or the protest march called by SIS Councillor Comrade Lenin against non-fulfilment of reservations in admissions. .
SFI-JNU's criticisms of the AISA-Ied JNUSU are therefore not "malicious" or wslanderous~ campaigns but an effort to hold the elected representatives accountable vis-a-vis their own commitments. AISA would do well to categorically respond to the concrete questions on student issues rather than evading them by attacking SFI-JNU. A/SA 's pamphlet suggest that since the SIS or SAA Convenors' reports were passed by a majority vote, the JNUSU does not need to respond to any of the questions posed by other student organisations. This is arrogance and hubris at its worst and reflects the deeply sectarian and anti-democratic mindsef of the A/SA leadership. .
WHO IS INDULGING IN CRASS ELECTORAL OPPOSRTUNISM? .
.
AISA's pamphlet shamelessly accuses the SFI-JNU of "electoral opportunism~ by selectively quoting from our pamphlets and facebook posts. The SFt-JNu-eame-tnto befng onty because the SFt all-India leadership "dissolved" the entire JNU unit of the SFI and expelled 4 Delhi State Committee members from JNU for adopting a dissenting political position vis-a-vis the CPI {M)'s support for Congressman Pranab Mukherjee in the Presidential elections, even when the CPI and RSP decided to abstain. .
In its pamphlet dated 8th July 2012, AISA stated that it "welcomes this decision of the SF/'s JNU Unit to oppose CPI (M)'s support to Pranab Mukherjee .. The SFI's leaflet dated July 7 has also indicated much the same analysis -that "in a left-leaning campus like JNU: Smgur and Nandigram ·eroded the SFI's support base among the progressive and democratic minded students," and led to SF Is defeat 1n the JNUSU elections of 2007 and 2012... We note that SF/ JNU unit, m its latest leaflet, has raised some of these issues (especially relating to Singur, Nandigram, and TP Chandrasekharan) as well, taking a posnion sharp/y.different from the official CPJ (M) line.· .
The CPI-ML General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya has written in the August issue of his party mouthpiece Uberation: "In JNU, the traditional CPI (M)/SFI citadel, (often called the CPI {M)'s fourth bastion after West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura), the entire SF! unit has been dissolved and dubbed a 'B team of the ultra-Left A/SA' for questioning and opposing the CPI (M) decision to support Pranab Mukherjee! Can there be a bigger .
proof of the CPI (M)'s growing rightward deviation or derailment that any radical political dissent within the party or mass organisations is dubbed ultra-Left and banished forthwith?" .
While "welcoming" SFI-JNU's "radical political dissent" in July-August, why is the AISA doing an about-turn and terming it "electoral opportunism" on the eve of September? ~ Who 1s indulging in -electoral opportumsm" here? Did ~ .
.
.
.