Bhubaneswar, Oct 12 (IANS) Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday accused the BJP-led Odisha government of using administrative machinery and muscle power to ensure the victory of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the RSS-affiliated students’ organisation, and the BJP Yuva Morcha candidates in student union elections across the state.
Addressing a press conference at Sankha Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) State President and BJD leader Ipsita Sahu alleged violations of Lyngdoh Commission guidelines and political interference in campus elections.
“The BJP government was apprehensive about the possible defeat of ABVP candidates in most universities and colleges across the state. Therefore, BJP ministers, MLAs and MPs were entering college campuses and engaging in political interference,” she alleged.
Referring to a viral audio clip concerning Rama Devi Women’s University, she alleged that one contained references to the Chief Minister’s purported instructions to ensure ABVP candidates win at any cost. Another clip allegedly featured Assistant Professor Sanjay Rout discussing large sums of money spent on student elections. Sahu alleged that Rout collected information about female students and shared it with the state government. She also accused the government of using the university elections to divert attention from rising crimes against women. On the other hand, the regional party also demanded the suspension of Rout and conduct of a high-level investigation into the matter.
“The BJP government was calling vice-chancellors and college principals to influence them to secure votes in favour of its candidates,” she alleged.
Questioning the government’s intentions, she asked why the BJP government was conducting student union elections if it feared defeat. The BJP was encouraging violence out of fear of losing, using teachers and government employees to facilitate vote theft and candidate poaching. Citing Nayagarh College, Sahu alleged that elections were cancelled after BCJD candidates appeared poised to win unopposed.
She also alleged that lecturers at Khallikote University campaigned for ABVP candidates, while BJP MLAs Manas Dutta and Sidhanta Mohapatra campaigned for ABVP at Fakir Mohan University in violation of election guidelines. At Pipili College, BJP supporters allegedly abducted and intimidated candidates and subjected them to life-threatening attacks, she claimed.
Accusing the administration and police of acting at the government’s behest, Sahu said, “BCJD candidates have already won in 100 colleges across the state. Despite the unlawful measures allegedly adopted by the BJP government, we are confident that our candidates will win by overwhelming margins.”
She alleged that the government was undermining students’ democratic rights and would ultimately face defeat in the elections.
–IANS
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