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Onwards to JNUSU Elections 201210.01.2012

SFI congratulates the student community for making yesterdays UGBM a successful one.The UGBM passed the following resolution moved jointly by 5 organizations (SFI, AISF, AISA,NSUI & ABVP) by a margin of 372 against 117 votes:

This UGBM mandates that the JNUSU Elections should be held as per the Supreme CourtOrder dated 8.12.2011. This should be an interim arrangement till the JNUSU Court Case

is resolved in the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court. The JNUSU Elections shouldbe conducted within one month and the Joint Struggle Committee should make allefforts to hand over charge to the JNUSU Election Committee by January 14.

This UGBM further mandates that the future JNUSUs should carry forward the struggleagainst Lyngdoh Recommendations and use every opportunity for the restoration of the

JNUSU Constitution in the future.

JNUSU Elections by February 2012

With the UGBM passing this resolution, the way has been paved for conducting the JNUSUelections on an immediate basis. The struggle for restoration of JNUSU Elections has been aprotracted and arduous one and the student community is eagerly awaiting the opportunity

to exercise its franchise. The Joint Struggle Committee must implement the mandate of theUGBM properly so that JNUSU Elections can be held within one month. There should be anelected JNUSU by 9th February 2012.

The UGBM verdict is also a fitting rebuff to the sectarian anti-JNUSU forces which indulged inempty posturing without having contributed a single bit in the struggle to restore the JNUSUElections. The Youth for (In)Equality, which left no stone unturned to ensure a blanketimposition of the Lyngdoh Recommendations in JNU, did not even turn up for the UGBM.

AISAs Role: Irresponsible and Opportunistic

The verdict of yesterdays UGBM marks an important milestone in the three years longstruggle to restore the JNUSU. When the JNUSU Elections were stayed by the Supreme Courtin October 2008, the incumbent AISA led JNUSU was given a mandate by a UGBM tocontinue in office and do the needful to restore the JNUSU elections. It is important at thisstage to assess their role in the past three years.

The incumbent JNUSU Office-Bearers from AISA who held office till February2010 thoroughly failed to provide leadership in the struggle for therestoration of JNUSU Elections. AISA and its JNUSU Office Bearers werehappy to leave the conduct of JNUSU Elections to the fate of an InterimApplication filed in the Supreme Court. When nothing came out of theInterim Application, AISA tried to hoodwink the students by selling AC/BoSelections as a substitute for the JNUSU elections.

As a way out of the impasse in the Supreme Court, it was the SFI which first

proposed that the JSC should enter into a dialogue with the Amicus-Curiaeto seek relaxations from Lyngdoh Recommendations in 2010. None of the

JNUSU Office Bearers from AISA were a part of the dialogue process withGopal Subramanium. It was the SFI leadership which persisted with thedialogue process, pushing it forward.

AISA once again showed its true colours when it proposed elections to somekind of a shadow body when there was yet another impasse in the SupremeCourt following Gopal Subramaniums resignation from Amicus-Curiaesposition in 2011. It was the SFI which took the lead in mobilizing students tothe Supreme Court which led to the reappointment of Gopal Subramaniumas the Amicus in the matter.

AISA never took the pains to build a strong and credible struggle forrestoration of the JNUSU and always attacked the SFI taking initiatives torestore the JNUSU Elections. Now it is hypocritically trying to claim solecredit for this struggle. After the last UGBM in October 2010, even beforeGopal Subramanium had filed his petition in the Supreme Court, AISAlaunched its election campaign and started distributing pamphlets attacking

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other organizations, particularly the SFI. So much for its genuineness andcommitment to united struggle!

This shows AISAs irresponsible and opportunistic character. It is important that the JNUSUelected in future does not run away from its responsibility of fighting for students rights andrestoring the JNUSU Constitution, as mandated by the UGBM. The escapist leadership of theAISA cannot be entrusted with that role.

Appeal to the Student Community

The conduct of JNUSU Elections after more than three years would be a major achievementof the JNU student movement. SFI salutes the JNU student community for the perseveranceit has shown in this struggle and for ensuring through massive participation in successiveUGBMs, that a broader unity was formed on this important issue. SFI pledges its earnestsupport to the Election Committee and appeals to the student community to render itswholehearted cooperation for the smooth conduct of JNUSU Elections.

Sd/-Sd/-Zico Dasgupta, Vice-President SFI-JNU PK Anand, Secretary SFI-JNU