Collective Will of Delhi University Gets the Statue of Betrayer Savarkar Out from Arts Faculty

On 20th of August, the students and teachers of Delhi University suddenly discovered statues of Savarkar, Bhagat Singh and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose put together in front of Arts Faculty gate. According to reports, DUSU President Shakti Singh was the mastermind behind the surreptitious act of putting up the statue of Savarkar along with the other two.

Wide spread criticism emerged from students and teachers of Delhi University for using a public space for the partisan political interest of ABVP. The Sangh Brigade has been trying for long to establish Savarkar as a national hero. Their desperate attempt to distort history has not found much acceptance from the people. Savarkar whom the BJP and ABVP want to project as Veer is known in the history of Indian Freedom Struggle for colluding with the British rule and betraying the freedom movement. It was utterly shameful that the ABVP led DUSU put the statues of Bhagat Singh and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, two freedom fighters with that of a betrayer. Bhagat Singh, who was hanged by British Raj for waging war against their rule, refused to seek clemency from the British Raj. In his last petition to Punjab Governor from Lahore Jail in 1931, Bhagat Singh rather demanded that he should be shot at in the firing squad instead of being hanged. He dreamt of an India that will be free of exploitation for its toiling masses. So much was his love for freedom; so much was his hatred against slavery. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose spent his entire life fighting the British Raj. He established the Indian National Army with the sole purpose of fighting the British. Now compare the history of these two freedom fighters with that of Savarkar.

When Savarkar was charged with waging war against British King, he wrote two mercy petitions from jail. After failing to prove his loyalty to the British Raj in the first petition, he wrote in the second petition in 1913, “If the government in their manifold beneficence and mercy release me, I for one cannot but be the staunchest advocate of loyalty to the English government.” And the Sangh Brigade wants to project this man as Veer. As true prodigal son of the British Raj, Savarkar went to backstab the Indian Freedom struggle. When Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was raising the Indian National Army to fight the British Raj, Savarkar supported the colonial rulers in recruiting Indians in the British Army. He was a staunch supporter of the Divide and Rule policy of the British Raj. Even before Muslim League mooted the proposal of Pakistan, Savarkar supported the two nation theory.
Thus, the ABVP led DUSU did not have the courage to set up a statue of Savarkar alone. They had to hide him behind Bhagat Singh and Netaji Subhash.

The erection of Savarkar’s statue was not only illegal, but an act of great mischief. It was only after strong protest expressed from students and teachers of DU as well as from academic community at large, that the statue set up in the darkness of night was removed. AISA congratulates the DU community for winning this battle against the treacherous history of Sangh Brigade to be established in DU premises.

But what more can be expected from the ABVP led DUSU that is only known for its forgery, hooliganism and betrayal with students cause.
Ankiv Baisoya who was elected as DUSU president from ABVP for 2018-19 submitted a forged degree of Thiruvalluvar University to get admission in DU. This fraud man was given ticket for DUSU president by the ABVP. Riding over huge money and muscle power scuttling all possibilities of democratic representation of common students of DU, he was elected as the DUSU president.

After Ankiv Baisoyas admission was cancelled for his forged degree, Shakti Singh, who was elected as Vice-President was promoted as President. Shakti Singh is the same person who unleashed open violence in Zakir Hussain College on the last day of election campaign. He was not only let go unpunished for his hooliganism, he was promoted to lead DUSU.

The DUSU led by the known hooligan Shakti Singh has not taken a single initiative for ensuring students rights. The post of DUSU was rather used for threatening teachers of DU to change syllabus according to ABVPs choice.

Now, before Student Union election of 2019-20, the ABVP is busy spreading huge amount of money for projecting their next candidate. While the country is going through extra ordinary economic crisis, the ABVP is in no dearth of money to spend for election campaign. Students rights is clearly not in their agenda. Thus, the gimmick of setting up Savarkars statue hidden behind Bhagat Singh and Netaji Subhash to divert attention was needed.

Betrayals and Treacheries will not be accepted by DU community. Savarkar might have place in ABVPs office, but it has no place in our University.

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