[Bengia Ajum]
ITANAGAR, 25 Mar: The ongoing election process of the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU), being held at Jubilee Hall, Dera Natung Government College (DNGC), is affecting the academic activities of the premier government-run college of the state.
Violence rocked the campus on Tuesday evening and again on Wednesday morning, when supporters of candidates whose nominations were rejected clashed with police and volunteers of the AAPSU election committee. The entry gate of the college has been locked, and staffs residing inside the campus are living in fear due to the highly volatile situation.
Rajiv Gandhi Government Polytechnic (RGGP), the state’s top polytechnic institute located near DNGC, is also facing difficulties due to the ongoing AAPSU election process. With controversies surrounding the election and no clear picture of when it will conclude, frustration and anger is growing among campus dwellers.
From the beginning, the DNGC authorities were against conducting the election in the Jubilee Hall of the campus, based on past experience. “A few years ago, the AAPSU election was conducted in DNGC, and it badly affected academic activities. Because of this, the principal of the college, along with the general secretary of the DNGC Students’ Union, wrote a letter to the DC of ICR on February 6 requesting that permission not be granted to conduct the election on campus, but our plea went unheard,” said an official.
The election committee had issued a notification stating that the election would be conducted from February 17 to 23 at DNGC. “Accordingly, we suspended all academic activities, but the election got postponed. This time again, the election committee issued a notification for conducting the election from March 20 to 26, and we had to suspend academic activities once more. However, over the past few days, violence and constant confrontations among supporters have created fear on campus. Classes and sessional tests have been hampered since February 17. This is hurting the image and academic growth of DNGC,” said another official of the college.
The situation is similar in RGGP, as students and teaching staff are finding it difficult to pass through DNGC, where the situation remains volatile.
With the DNGC campus virtually turning into a war zone, the situation is becoming dire for students and staff living inside the campus. “In anticipation of violence, classes had already been suspended, and both boys’ and girls’ hostels were closed. Several seminars and workshops have been cancelled. Unfortunately, these fears have materialised. Violent confrontations have turned the campus into a conflict zone. Students and staff are stranded, with the campus gates locked. Movement is severely restricted; those inside cannot leave, and those outside cannot return,” informed Nending Ommo, Assistant Professor in the English Department of DNGC.
“Basic supplies have been disrupted. Some faculty members have been forced to seek shelter in hotels, while others remain trapped within the campus. The situation raises serious concerns: what happens in the event of a medical emergency? Who bears responsibility for the safety and well-being of campus dwellers? This is not just an institutional issue; it has now become a humanitarian concern,” Ommo added.
He further urged the concerned authorities to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation. “The venue for such activities must be reconsidered or permanently shifted away from academic spaces. Permissions for such events, especially when they threaten sanctity, peace, and safety, should not be granted in the future. Let classes resume. Let students return to a safe and conducive learning environment. Let campus dwellers live without fear,” he added.
He made a fervent appeal to the Arunachal Pradesh College Teachers’ Forum (APCTF), the district administration, the directorate of higher education, the state government, civil society organisations, and student unions to urgently intervene and address the crisis.
