Guwahati: Seventy-two hours after 43 students from the Guwahati campus of Tata Institute of Social Sciences embarked on an indefinite hunger strike, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), the region’s formidable students’ body, which takes up major issues surrounding the rights of the region’s local indigenous population, was yet to make a call or offer solidarity to the cause of the protesting students, especially from the region’s marginalised local communities.
While students’ associations like All Assam Bodo Students’ Union (AABSU) and Chakma Students’ Union pitched their solidarity to the students who were on a hunger strike, AASU’s conspicuous silence has baffled some students.
Throughout the course of the hunger strike which ended on Thursday (March 15) afternoon, there was no response or call from AASU despite delegates from the protesting lot visiting their headquarters at the beginning of the hunger strike and informing them about the entire issue.
Among the four TISS campuses, the protest at the Guwahati campus was quite prolific. While other students’ bodies representing different tribal communities from the region were supporting (and still supporting), some of the protesters felt that there was a greater need of vocal support from AASU due to its formidable reputation as a students’ organisation.
“The hunger strike is over. On Thursday, we had a meeting with TISS officials. During the meeting it was negotiated that the upfront payment of Rs 9500 be reduced to Rs 4500. This will be put on the table. We have called off the strike but it will be resumed if things are not in our favour. We will be mobilising it to other tribal organisations that are stakeholders. Some students’ delegates from the Guwahati campus visited AASU office. They left information about the issue but there was no response from their side,” said Lallian Thangsing, a PhD scholar.
With other student body organisation from the northeast already pitching in their support to the protesting lot, which is comprised mostly of students from the northeast, senior AASU members have either expressed ignorance about the issue or claimed to know only bits and pieces of information circulating on social media.
“Since they were on hunger strike, we came forward to offer help. Among the protesting students there were Assamese and students from different tribal communities. I don’t know about the involvement of AASU, but we will continue our support to the students,” said Rupesh Chakma, president, Guwahati Chakma Students’ Union.
The 43 students from TISS, Guwahati were on hunger strike from March 12. Since then, they have already faced a cloud of allegations that “the protesting students were having fun and were caught eating chips and not respecting the sanctity of the pledge required for a hunger strike”.
AASU, with a history of offering solidarity to students’ and peoples’ causes in Assam and strong intervention handiworks, fighting for students’ and peoples’ rights from local indigenous communities, has this time been a mute spectator to the latest issue involving students from Assam and the northeast, especially from the marginalised communities.
“We don’t know about the issue. I don’t know what is going on. I have come across some bits and pieces about the issue on social media. Someone has to inform us about the situation. It is difficult to talk now of our probable involvement in the issue,” said Dipanka Kumar Nath, president of AASU.
But representatives from the protesting lot of TISS, Guwahati claimed to have visited AASU headquarters in the city earlier this week.
“We went to AASU headquarters to talk with some of the senior members. We were told by an AASU member that he will talk with his senior colleagues. But as of now there is no communication from them. There is not much solidarity from AASU. We should have got their support since it revolves around students from Assam and the northeast. When we visited their office we took along with us a press release from the Government of India-Post Matric Scholarship Students’ Association (GOI-PMS) of TISS. We are getting solidarity from reputed foreign universities as well. But AASU has not come forward,” said Tanya Sarma, a TISS student (name changed on request of anonymity).
There is 66% reservation for students from the northeast at TISS, Guwahati campus. But questions persist about the main objectives of the reservations especially when a cloud of uncertainty looms large over the cutting of aid and non-waiver of fees for dining hall, hostel and post matric scholarship for Schedule Caste/ Tribe and non-creamy students.
“AASU should have come forward offering their support to the protesting students. They should have taken up the issue. We are supporting the students as it revolves around their right to academic pursuits. They are from marginalised communities and they are pinning their hope on education for a brighter future but a high fee is proving to be the major obstacle for the students,” said Avinash Narzary, general secretary, Guwahati district committee, AABSU.
AASU has been at the forefront of student protests, taking an active part in the fight against influx of ‘Bangladeshi’ immigrants and played a major role in the six-year old Assam Movement that shaped the demographic dividend among the local indigenous populace and communities.
On Monday, the protesting students from TISS, Guwahati campus gathered at the city’s iconic Dighilipukhuri, a much sought-after venue for protests. But, a court order passed last year banned protest gatherings there, and hence the students were removed from that site by the police.
Students blamed the police for roughening them up and issuing threats of arrests.
“Police came in forcefully and were quite rude to us. We were protesting peacefully but the police pulled us up and issued threats of arrests. This is the matter of students from marginalised communities in the northeast. This is a move to privatise TISS and is aimed only at profiteering and not for the greater good. I am from a SC background and my parents have faced discrimination based on caste basis. They have told me not to give up the fight. Students from the marginalised communities will lose their rights and will be pushed in the background once again. Majority of the students who are protesting here are from the northeast,” said Tikendra Rai Chelak, vice president GOI-PMS Students Association TISS Guwahati Campus.