Chandigarh: Allegations of intimidation and political interference have added a fresh edge to the Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) election campaign, with AAP-backed Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) trading charges days before polling on August 31.At a press conference, Lok Sabha MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, MLAs Amritpal Singh Sukhanand and Jagdeep Singh Goldy Kamboj, along with ASAP presidential candidate Aadil Brar, alleged that students, research scholars, professors and supporters of the organisation had received threat calls aimed at influencing their political choices.ASAP alleged that some individuals were threatened and asked either to support ABVP or leave the campus. The organisation cited the case of a research scholar from Himachal Pradesh and claimed that threatening calls had also been made to his family. It demanded an immediate inquiry and sought assurances from university authorities that students would be able to participate in the election without fear.Meet Hayer appealed to students not to succumb to pressure, while Brar alleged that similar tactics had been used during the previous PU polls.ABVP rejected the allegations and accused ASAP and the Punjab govt of attempting to influence a student election through political intervention. ABVP Punjab state secretary Jaskaran Singh Bhullar questioned the appointment of Meet Hayer and Sukhanand as political in-charges for the election, saying elected representatives should not influence students’ choices.PUCSC president Gauravveer Singh Sohal also alleged that ABVP workers and supporters were being intimidated. He accused ASAP of bringing outsiders to the campus and disturbing its atmosphere. ABVP further claimed that pressure was being exerted on students and their families through political and govt channels.With both sides accusing each other of intimidation, external interference and attempts to influence voters, the election campaign has become increasingly acrimonious ahead of polling. The allegations made by both organisations could not be independently verified.NSUI Protests ‘Politicisation’ of PU PollsAmid the escalating war of words, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) staged a protest at Panjab University’s Gate No. 2 on Friday evening, targeting both ABVP and ASAP over what it described as the growing politicisation of student elections.NSUI leaders objected to the involvement of senior political leaders in the campaign and said university elections should remain focused on student and campus issues rather than broader political rivalries. The protest added another dimension to an already heated contest, with NSUI seeking to position itself against both rival camps.
