Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) student wing Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP) has launched a fierce attack on University of Delhi (DU) administration’s diktat requiring a ₹1 lakh bond to contest student union elections, calling it a deliberate conspiracy to shut middle-class students out of the democratic process. Questioning how an ordinary student could arrange such a sum, ASAP has demanded immediate withdrawal of the order and warned that if the administration and Vice Chancellor fail to roll it back, they will face united student protests.
At a press conference at the party headquarters, ASAP Delhi State President Kuldeep Bidhuri said, “Next month, Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections are to be held. On August 8, the DU administration issued a ‘Tughlaqi farman’ requiring every student contesting these elections to submit a bond of ₹1 lakh. This condition raises serious questions about the mindset of the DU administration. It is nothing but a conspiracy to directly block middle-class students from contesting elections.”
Pointing to the BJP’s past obstruction of Delhi’s AAP government, Kuldeep Bidhuri said, “When the Aam Aadmi Party was in power in Delhi, BJP would stall work through the LG and oppose Arvind Kejriwal. Now, ABVP gets this diktat issued by the DU Vice Chancellor and then even pretends to oppose it. Their only aim is to prevent middle-class students from contesting student union elections. They have been doing this for 20 years. Only those with money will be able to contest. If a student files nominations for all four posts, where will they arrange ₹4 lakh for the bonds?”
Holding up a copy of the order, Praveen Chaudhary said, “Not every student can afford a bond of ₹1 lakh. Imposing such a Tughlaqi farman on students preparing to contest elections is wrong. ASAP opposes this diktat. This is a huge wall erected against aspiring candidates—where will a student get ₹1 lakh from? The students’ union election is a platform for service. The DU Vice Chancellor simply wants students to be unable to ask questions, and this diktat is a way to keep them away from elections.”
ASAP Delhi State Vice President Fahad Sherwani said, “ASAP stands with DU students and with every student across the country. We have protested on several issues, from admissions to the library. Students were facing difficulties in admissions; we submitted memorandums to the Registrar and Vice Chancellor. Later, we protested in the Central Library because poor students were being charged ₹200 just to sit and study. We gave memorandums, held demonstrations, and told the Vice Chancellor to end this fee.”
Highlighting continued protests, Fahad Sherwani said, “ASAP has agitated over the SSC (Student Service Centre) issue in DU and shown how far we can go. Our next protest will be at the SSC building. We are with students everywhere. We raised the issue of metro fares—poor students pay ₹40 each way to reach the university, face great hardship, and are pushed around in buses. We have demanded concessional metro passes from the Chief Minister, LG, and DU Vice Chancellor, and will protest outside the LG House and CM residence.”
Zakir Husain College Unit President Shailesh Yadav said, “The DU administration’s continuous imposition of its dictatorship on students is no secret. Earlier, fees for undergraduate and other courses were increased. Central Library fees were hiked. Now, with this diktat, they are shackling middle-class students. In countries where leaders, professors, students, and farmers speak for the poor, why does the DU administration want to block those same poor students from representing the university?”
Questioning the rationale, Shailesh Yadav said, “What is this bond system? Is it a tender system? Are we auctioning seats—deposit the bond and run it like a contract? This is the students’ university, run with students’ and government’s money. DU administration must take decisions keeping students’ interests in mind. Their dictatorship will not last long. Students are united. Those who come to study in DU are not provided PG, flats, or metro facilities, and there are not enough hostels. Yet, to stop their representation, such diktats are issued?”
Demanding reconsideration, Shailesh Yadav said, “DU administration and the Vice Chancellor must withdraw this bond system. Otherwise, ASAP will strongly oppose it and will ensure students’ voices reach the administration.”
