Cong slams Mayawati for banning student polls

Lucknow, Sep 8: Congress today termed 'undemocratic', the decision of the Mayawati government banning students' union elections in Uttar Pradesh.

The UP Congress said if the state government failed to revoke its decision, the party will be forced to carry out ''peaceful protests'' across the state.

Talking to reporters here, UP Congress vice-presidernt in-charge of organisation Satyadev Tripathi said here that if the state government was worried about the increasing number of criminals entering students politics, then it should have implemented the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations to hold the students union elections. ''The Lyngdoh committee has the backing of the Supreme Court...if implemented, it would have checked the use of money and muscle power in the elections,'' he added.

He claimed that colleges and universities were the only platforms today from where educated people could enter mainstream politics.

''Moreover, if criminals are getting elected to the legislature, should we ban elections all together,'' he quipped.

Violent protests by students were witnessed after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mawayati yesterday ordered a ban on holding of elections of student unions in state universities and affiliated colleges with immediate effect.

The ban was imposed by the state government to improve the education curriculum and environment in the state. However, the ban would not be enforced in three central universities -- Banaras Hindu University, Allahabad University and Aligarh Muslim University.

According to a government release here, the CM said the move was taken to regularise the academic session of the universities and colleges. ''These elections create severe law and order problem, besides the educational activities of the students get affected,'' she added. She further said the students' unions elections also create disturbances in the campus areas.

After yesterday's announcement of the ban, students turned violent in Varanasi where a mob damaged two buses and burnt the effigy of the Chief Minister.

Police had to resort to mild lathicharge to disperse the agitating students of Kashi Vidyapeth and Harishchandra College who were squatting on the streets and blocking the GT Road.

Meanwhile, students of Gorakhpur have called a bandh today to protest the government's decision. Peaceful protest was also held by the students in Lucknow University.

UNI