Student organisations oppose ‘RSS activities’ at educational institutions

The State committees of Student Federation of India (SFI), All India Student Federation (AISF), Progressive Democratic Students’ Union (PDSU), Progressive Democratic Students Organisation (PDSO) and All India Students’ Association (AISA) on Wednesday (February 18) condemned the alleged attack on SFI and AISF leaders on Tuesday night for “opposing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities that spread hatred in the name of religion in universities.”

In a statement, leaders of the unions demanded strict action against those responsible for the attack. They alleged that the RSS had been conducting activities at Andhra University for some time now to turn students into religious fanatics.

Two days ago, the SFI leadership brought the developments to the notice of the Vice-Chancellor, but there was no response. The student leaders alleged that they suspected that these activities were taking place under the watch of the V-C.

Narrating the sequence of Tuesday’s events on the university campus, which led to a scuffle between the two groups, they said “outsiders” were conducting RSS programmes on the campus. When SFI and AISF leadership demanded that the activities be stopped, the Sangh activists attacked them, the student leaders alleged.

“What business does RSS have on the university campus? Why is the university administration permitting this? We strongly condemn the RSS members, including non-students, who entered the campus holding ABVP flags and, under the guise of the ABVP, attempted to disrupt the unity among students by attacking student leaders,” the student leaders demanded to know.

They sought the immediate intervention by the State government and strict action against those who entered the university campus and attacked the students. They said Minister for Education Nara Lokesh had categorically stated that there should be no politics in educational institutions, but he had not spoken about the religious programmes and the hatred being spread among students in the name of religion.

They requested the Minister to intervene and impose a ban on RSS entry into educational institutions.