HT Correspondent
Varanasi, August 20
UNION HUMAN Resource Development Minister, Arjun Singh, disappointed students and local Congress MP Dr Rajesh Mishra over students union restoration in the Banaras Hindu University on Sunday, saying, “No decision can be taken as the matter is under sub-jurisdiction of the Supreme Court”.
He was addressing a seminar on ‘Role of Youth in Nation Building’ at Swatantra Bhawan in BHU today. The BHU unit of the National Students Union of India had organised the seminar to mark the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi as Sadbhavna Divas.
Arjun Singh said the recommendations of CM Lingadoh (former chief election commissioner) committee for student union election were pending with the Supreme Court and therefore no decision could be taken in this regard.
The minister said he had no intention to interfere in the internal activities of a university but added that he would always be there to safeguard the interests of democracy.
He said criminal elements were trying to paralyse the democratic set up of the country and made an appeal to the students to free the country from such anti-democratic elements.
In their address, local Congress MP Dr Rajesh Mishra and national secretary of the All India Congress Committee, Dr Bhola Pandey, strongly advocated restoration of the defunct students union in the Banaras Hindu University with the students present in the gathering raising slogans ‘Students Union Bahal Karo’ –(restore students union) several times.
But the HRD minister disappointed the students and the Congress leaders by saying that the matter was under sub-jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and no decision could be taken in this regard.
Arjun Singh, however, expressed hope that the Supreme Court would give such a decision so that criminal and opportunist elements may be put aside in students union elections.
President of the Banaras Hindu University unit of NSUI, Harishchandra Pandey, welcomed the guests whereas vice-president Pushpendra Kumar Tripathi conducted the programme. Vice-Chancellor of BHU, Prof. Panjab Singh, former students union leader of Delhi University, Alka Lamba and Prof RK Mishra were among others who addressed the seminar.