The focus of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for this year is to create a nationalist leadership in every college campus. Talking to Organiser Senior Correspondent Pramod Kumar ABVP national general secretary Shri Vinay Bidre pointed out that the organisation mobilised over 30 lakh people last year against the anti-national activities reported from some of the educational institutions like JNU, Jadavrpur University, Hyderabad University and also Srinagar. Apart from it the country’s largest students organisation mobilised 11,444 youth to reach remote and inaccessible areas for ten days to have social feeling. Excerpts:
What are the major activities conducted by ABVP last year?
Last year, our major focus was the new education policy. We gathered opinion of all stakeholders in education including students, teachers, educationists and the institutions. The nectar emerged out of that year long churning was a 21-point draft presented to the Union Minister of HRD Smt Smriti Irani, who described the draft as one of the best and practical suggestions.
Apart from it, the ABVP organised big rallies in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh demanding affordable, accessible and quality education to all. About 21,000 people attended the rally in Bhopal on September 21. On November 23, more than 76,000 students and parents attended the rally organised in Lucknow. On September 22, there was a big rally in Patna focusing on the issues of SC/ST students. There were big rallies in Chhattisgarh and Mumbai also. Commercialisation of education was strongly opposed and affordable, accessible and quality education was sought for all.
During the 125th birth anniversary of Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar the ABVP conducted various activities for strengthening social harmony. Under these activities, about 11,000 students dedicated their 10 days as Vistarakas and reached the remote and inaccessible areas to have social feeling. They met the people of all sections and realised their problems deeply. It was a unique initiative to mobilise youth for national reconstruction. We approached about 30,000 villages last year. By and large, we reached 3.5 lakh families through these activities.
What has been planned for the next year?
This year we are going to conduct an extensive study on the condition, status and issues of women in higher education sector all over the country. Apart from it, the activities as part of the 125th birth anniversary of Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar will continue this year too. From January to April 14, various activities, including big rallies, conferences in hostels, agitations highlighting the issues of the students, and also the programmes to spread the views of Babasaheb on various topics like nationalism, economy, etc. will be conducted. The Abhiyan will continue this year also. This year we have planned to involve more than 15,000 students in this activity and they will dedicate their full time as Vistaraks.
Last year some anti-national activities were reported from some educational institutions. What was done to counter them?
It is a very big problem in our country today. A kind of intellectual terrorism is going on. The ABVP activists, as Ideological Soldiers, have countered it perfectly. Whether it is JNU, HU or Jadavpur University or in Srinagar, the ABVP workers perfectly answered the anti-national elements. We went to the educational institutions all over the country to exhort the students that anti-national elements should have no place in any educational institution. No anti-national has a place in any college campus. Various marches were also orgnised for it. On the issue of hoisting tricolour also, impressive activities were organised. More than 30 lakh students including girls participated in all these activities last year.
Any other plan for the next year?
The debate on nationalism will continue. We have also planned to create a nationalist leadership in every college campus. The support that the girls receive in central universities is not available in the state universities We will raise this issue throughout the year.
