Oppn: It’s time to revive student politics in state

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 20

Opposition parties — AAP, SAD and the BJP — today demanded student body elections in the state. The reaction came a day after Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced elections to student bodies in his state in September.

The Punjab Government is not considering a similar move so far. “No decision yet on student body polls,” said Raveen Thukral, media adviser to the Chief Minister.

Study body elections were banned in the state in 1984, when militancy was at its peak.

Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira said: “Student elections in universities will be a major development in reviving youth leadership in the state. We lack young leaders because students are not participating in group activities for their welfare or reacting to any decision of the state or the Union Government like earlier times.”

Khaira said: “But personally, I have reservations against elections in colleges. Children are still young and political parties employ strong messages to influence sensitive minds. All prominent parties, including the Congress, BJP and the SAD, have student wings with fixed political ideologies. We need to be careful.”

BJP state secretary Vineet Joshi said: “The ground situation in the state has changed. Youths on different forums of our party ask us to reach out to college goers.”

When asked why the SAD-BJP did not take the initiative during its two terms, Joshi said: “If we did a mistake, it does not mean no corrective action can be taken today. We will welcome the government decision in case the elections are announced.”

Akali Dal spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said: “Now that Haryana has given a reason to our state to deliberate on this important issue, I think elections should be announced. Student politics had given us tall leaders in the past. More than leadership, it will go a long way in inculcating the spirit of debate among the opposition factions among the youth.”

Student elections in universities will be a major development in reviving youth leadership in the state. We lack young leaders because students are not participating in group activities for their welfare or reacting to any decision of the state or Centre like earlier times. — Sukhpal Khaira, Leader of opposition 

I think elections should be announced. Student politics had given us tall leaders in the past. More than leadership, it will go a long way in inculcating the spirit of debate among the opposition factions among the youth. — Daljit Singh Cheema, Akali Dal spokesman