It is, indeed, a great news from University of Hyderabad (UoH) where the Dalit-Adivasi-Muslim-Left parties have come under a common banner, the Alliance for Social Justice, for the upcoming students’ union elections due to be held on September 21.

The political parties, which had played a significant role in the Justice for Rohith Vemula movement last year, including the Ambedkar Students’ Association (ASA) its long-time allies, the Muslim Students’ Federation (MSF) and the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) have been joined by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the Dalit Students’ Union (DSU), the Tribal Students Federation (TSF), Bahujan Students’ Front (BSF), and the Telangana Vidyarthi Vedika (TVV) formed the alliance.

“This is not only an electoral alliance but a political alliance intending to give a message to the nation to unite against fascism. The attacks on higher educational institutions are increasing day by day, so we believe that this is the time for students of HCU to stay united to fight against the right-wing forces and ABVP,” said Kuldeep Singh Nagi, former president of the students’ union.

The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), however, has decided not to be a part of this alliance. The Alliance for Social Justice has also come up with an agreement that it shall not use the names of any parties separately during the campaign against the ABVP. This year’s election shall also witness the presidential debate which had not taken place in the university for the past few years.

Sowmya Dechamma, Assistant Professor from Centre for Comparative Literature, said, “I believe that this struggle is larger than anti-ABVP and this is a larger fight against casteist forces and religious majoritarianism. An alliance for social justice from all perspectives.”

It is believed the united alliance this year will be a strong challenge for the ABVP.  While the previous year’s election saw ASA and its associated Muslim organisations contesting separately against the SFI-led alliance, this year brought these parties together in their struggle intending to continue the Justice for Rohith movement to ensure social justice on campus.

The contestant for the post of president in the central panel is Sreerag P, who is currently pursuing his Ph.D in Regional Studies, also an active presence in Justice for Rohith movement. Sreerag was also one among the students who were put in jail during the protests triggered after Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao’s return to the university, who had gone on leave after the suicide of Dalit PhD scholar Rohith Vemula. “Dalits, Bahujans, Adivasis, Muslims and other oppressed minorities in the country should come together  against the threat of this brahmanical dominance. Making Alliances doesnt mean compromising your ideology, rather it means that you are politically matured enough to understand  the  gravity of issues,” said Sreerag.

The contesting panel consists of two Muslim students, three Dalit students and one student from the Adivasi community.  The panel also has the peculiarity of having students only from Dalit-Bahujan-Adivasi-Muslim backgrounds contesting against the ABVP. The election results will be declared on September 22.

The other contestants from the alliance in the central panel include Lunavath Naresh (MPH Public Health) from TSF for the post of Vice President, Arif Ahammed (Ph.D Indian Diaspora) from SFI for the post of General Secretary, Muhammed Ashique NP (M.A Political Science) from MSF for the post of Joint Secretary, Lolam Sravan Kumar (M.A Political Science) for the post of Sports Secretary and Gundeti Abhishek (M.A Anthropology) for the post of Cultural Secretary, both are from DSU.