The Hindu : New Delhi News : Countdown to JNUSU polls begins

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Thursday, Nov 01, 2007
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New Delhi

Countdown to JNUSU polls begins

Parul Sharma

Candidates underscore the need for “speedy judgement” in cases registered with GSCASH
‘The political organisations on the campus make issues out of non-issues’

NEW DELHI: As the countdown to the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union polls begins, apart from the central panel office-bearers and the councillors of different schools and centres, elections for student representatives in the Gender Sensitisation Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) will also be held on Friday.

Eight candidates will be vying for the two posts kept for students in GSCASH that has representation from the teachers’ association, staff association, faculty members and a non-government organisation.

The GSCASH was set up in 1999.

Speaking at the University General Body Meeting held on Tuesday at the Jhelum lawns on the campus, almost all candidates underscored the need for “speedy judgement” in cases registered with GSCASH.

“With so many cases pending, how many of us feel confident enough to approach a system like that? The GSCASH has been losing its ground. The campus is facing all sorts of harassment problems. Let alone women students, female activists contesting in elections are targeted and subjected to personal remarks and slander,” claimed Priyadarshini A.

Apart from speeding up the process of delivering results, Annis Pharung Awungshi said the need of the hour was to make GSCASH an autonomous body.

“The committee is being politicised. The political organisations on the campus make issues out of non-issues. It should be free from all political influence.”

Another contender, Akanksha Kumar, said repeated attempts were being made by the administration to make GSCASH “bureaucratic”.

Calling for greater awareness of GSCASH on the campus, Hemlata asserted that it should not be used as a weapon to settle personal scores and seek political revenge.

“There should be a support group for victims,” she argued.

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