After Baisoya foul-up, ABVP’s Shakti Singh promoted as DUSU president

The president’s post fell vacant in November last year after the DU administration cancelled the admission of former ABVP member Ankiv Baisoya for using a “forged” mark sheet to seek admission.

Citing a Delhi high court’s order, the Delhi University (DU) on Tuesday promoted DU Students’ Union (DUSU) vice-president and a member of RSS-affiliated Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarthi Parishad’s (ABVP) Shakti Singh as president.

Delhi University has promoted ABVP’s Shakti Singh (right) as president of the DU Students Union.(Sushil Kumar/HT File)

According to a notice issued by the university election committee on Tuesday that was undersigned by six officials, including DU chief election officer VK Kaul: “In compliance with the order of the honourable Delhi High Court dated 18 December, 2018, the DUSU election committee 2018-19 declares the promotion of Mr Shakti Singh, vice president DUSU 2018-29 as president DUSU 2018-19.”

The president’s post fell vacant in November last year after the DU administration cancelled the admission of former ABVP member Ankiv Baisoya for using a “forged” mark sheet to seek admission. The move comes after receiving confirmation from Tamil Nadu-based Thiruvalluvar University that an undergraduate marksheet submitted by Baisoya to seek admission to the DU was “fake”. The University had also filed a police complaint against Baisoya.

Calling it a “moral victory”, Singh said that the students’ union will now work for the cause of students under his leadership. “Half of the academic session is already over and DUSU could not do anything in the absence of a president. Now I will make sure ABVP will work to fulfill all the promises we made ahead of the DUSU elections,” he said.

Soon after Baisoya’s election as DUSU president on September 13, 2018, Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) had accused him of submitting a fake mark sheet to secure admission in the DU. NSUI had later moved the Delhi High Court seeking fresh election on the post. However, the court had dismissed the plea.

NSUI, however, termed the development as “wrong interpretation” of the court’s order. “The university has been hands in glove with the ABVP from the beginning. They first delayed the inquiry against Baisoya by two months to avoid re-election on the post. And, now they are wrongly interpreting the court order that nowhere says mentions or suggests Singh’s promotion to the post. The University has set a very bad precedent,” NSUI Delhi state president Akshay Lakra said.

Members of left-backed All India Students Association (AISA) also criticised the move. “DU’s order of promoting Shakti Singh is not at all surprising. It’s an administration’s gift to the ABVP. The student community will give a befitting reply to the ABVP in the next election,” said Kawalpreet Kaur, AISA Delhi president.