DUSU holds meeting with Irani

A delegation of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) will meet Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani on Sunday to demand roll back of four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP). This is the third such visit within one week where BJP-led delegations have met Irani to put ‘pressure’ on her to scrap FYUP.

Last week, BJP’s students’ and teachers’ body Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and National Democratic Teachers’ Front (NDTF) met Irani demanding scrapping of the controversial programme. It can be noted that three of the four posts in DUSU are held by ABVP. Aman Awana, president of DUSU said that they will discuss FYUP with the minister along with other university related issues. 

‘FYUP is on top of the agenda. Apart from that we’ll also request the minister to bring provision to increase the number of colleges and seats in DU. Other issues regarding the university administration will also be discussed’, said Awana.

The BJP is hopeful that the controversial programme will be called off very soon. ‘It will be rolled back. We are very confident about it. There is a lot of pressure on Smriti Irani from various quarters of DU to scrap it’, said an NDTF leader.

While the students’ and teachers’ body try hard to build up the pressure, Irani has consistently maintained that any decision will be arrived at taking into consideration the views of the stakeholders.

Saket Bahuguna, state secretary of ABVP who was a part of delegation which met Irani said that the minister has assured them full cooperation under the rules. 

‘Iraniji has assured us full support but she said that she will follow the due process required like holding consultation with the authorities concerned, unlike the previous Congress government which implemented the programme in haste’, said Bahuguna.

He also accused Congress backed student body National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) of staging a drama by sitting on hunger strike against FYUP. 

‘When it is certain that FYUP will most probably be rolled back, they are sitting on a hunger strike to score political dividends. 

‘Last year, they came out with pamphlets highlighting the advantages of FYUP. I don’t have words to describe hypocrisy of NSUI’, added Bahuguna.