Student unionists switching alliances is no new thing in India. A few days ago, everyone's eyes were affixed on Kanhaiya Kumar, when the former JNUSU President and CPI (AISF prior to this) leader joined the Indian National Congress. And on Friday, Ram Niwas Bishnoi, the former Delhi University ABVP President, joined the Congress-affiliated National Students' Union of India (NSUI).
According to a statement issued by the NSUI, Bishnoi, who joined NSUI, said that he did not want to be 'part of an organisation that hailed Savarkar'. "ABVP (members) were sitting at home when the NSUI was helping the whole country during the pandemic. I have joined NSUI influenced by the thoughts of Rahul Gandhi and Neeraj Kundan (NSUI President)," he was quoted in the statement.
However, the statement had one factual error, which was picked out by Bishnoi's former organisation, ABVP. "ABVP student leader Ram Niwas Bishnoi (ABVP Delhi Unit President) joined NSUI," said the statement. However, Bishnoi held the post in the past and was only the DU unit's secretary in the 2020-21 academic year. "No one by the name of Ram Niwas Bishnoi was currently holding any position in ABVP cadre of Delhi. ABVP’s DU Unit President Rohit Sharma and Secretary Gunja Singh are actively working for student issues," said its National Media Convener Siddharth Yadav.
At the same time, Yadav went on to say, "It is petty that NSUI, who is unable to connect with students, has come down to the level of falsely claiming the induction of ABVP Members.” When contacted by EdexLive, Yadav said that Bishnoi wasn't a recent working member of the ABVP. At the same time, he added that Bishnoi did not resign from their organisation either.
