IN the first phase of the Pondicherry University Students’ Council elections held on August 28, SFI secured a majority of seats contesting alone for the third consecutive year. SFI, along with the SFI supported independent candidates, obtained 27 seats, thus becoming the single largest organisation in the process.

The central government has been extensively pushing their interests of privatisation of education through the fund cuts and UGC norms. The Pondicherry University has in turn responded by administering the draconian policies upon the students’ community. The fee hikes across departments, the introduction of bus fees and the cut down on the number of buses in spite of sufficient funds are examples of the intentions of the PU administration.

On the other hand, communal forces have been creeping into the university as in other parts of the country. The administration has been showing, time and again, that they are being an aid to these communal forces in the aim of saffronising higher educational spaces by cutting down democratic spaces of dissents and discussions in the campus.

This election has also witnessed the formation of a “grand” alliance of ASA led organisations and the NSUI. Despite the subaltern politics that ASA claims to champion, they have compromised the visionary Dr B R Ambedkar and his ideology in the pursuit of small electoral gains.

SFI is determined to follow up on its efforts and fight for students’ basic necessities. The future of the students’ rights and democratic spaces in the campus is at a crucial juncture in the history of Pondicherry University. By the efforts of the previous students’ council, the constitution of the students’ council is under draft and the administration intends to cut down upon the students’ rights unchallenged. As the largest organisation in the campus, SFI believes it is its responsibility to fight for the rights of all students and keep the spaces of dissent and discussions in the campus intact. SFI ensures the students’ community to keep its promise and continue its struggles for students’ basic necessities.

In view of the political scenario in the campus and the country and the situation in the campus, SFI has decided to join hands with the APSF, the student wing of DMK, and the AISF. Under this fascistic regime, SFI believes it is important to form forces with anti-BJP, anti-communal, secular, democratic organisations to uphold secularism and to resist the saffronisation in the country, as well as the campus.

The SFI-AISF-APSF panel elected for Pondicherry University Students’ Council 2019-20:

President: Parichay Yadav (SFI)

Secretary:Kuralanban V (APSF)

Joint Secretary: Kuriakose Junior (SFI)

Vice President: Kumar J (AISF)

Vice President: Mamatha G (SFI)

Executive Council Members: Rupam Hazarika (SFI)

Al RishalShanavas (SFI)

Ritheesh Krishna (Independent)

Executive Council Members: SwethaVenkiteswaran (SFI)

Anagha S (SFI)

Dhanavardini M (APSF)