Chandigarh, August 20: With Panjab University (PU) yet to announce the schedule for the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) elections, the National Students Union of India (NSUI) on Tuesday became the first student organisation to release its manifesto. The launch also marked the return of former PUCSC president Anurag Dalal to the party, a year after he contested independently.
The manifesto was unveiled at Congress Bhavan in Sector 35 in the presence of NSUI national president Varun Choudhary and Chandigarh Congress chief HS Lucky. The PUCSC elections are expected in the first week of September. Choudhary said the student wing’s vision was of a “Clean and Green PU rooted in social justice.”
Party members explained that releasing the manifesto early was a deliberate step after last year’s delay, which they believe allowed other narratives — including an internal resignation drama — to overshadow their agenda. “This year we wanted to set the tone from the beginning and ensure campus issues drive the campaign,” an NSUI leader said.
Lucky used the occasion to criticise the deployment of police during student elections. “It is unfair for the students to have such heavy police deployment on campus when there has been no major fight in PU in recent years,” he remarked. He added that candidates would be finalised after consultation with Congress leaders from Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh.
The 15-point manifesto includes opposition to the recently introduced affidavit requirement for freshers before joining protests — a matter already challenged in the Punjab and Haryana high court by NSUI’s Archit Garg. Other promises include advocating OBC reservation in hostels, adopting a zero-tolerance stance on sexual harassment, and creating a central placement cell. Many of these points echo earlier manifestos.
Lucky admitted that not every pledge might be met, but said the document reflected the organisation’s year-long agenda. He pointed to NSUI’s past initiatives, such as demanding a PUCSC constitution and menstrual leave for students, during the last council term.
Meanwhile, NSUI workers kick-started campaigning at the Students Centre, where stickers were pasted across campus despite a ban on such activities. PU authorities said the violation would be reviewed.
The launch also drew attention because of Dalal’s return. A research scholar, Dalal was welcomed back into the fold and is seen as close to Haryana MP Deepinder Singh Hooda. “The organisation remains open to those who are willing to work for our goals,” Choudhary said. Dalal, for his part, stated, “I will continue working for students’ welfare.”
