SFI Sweeps Pondicherry University Elections: A Decisive Blow to RSS-BJP Campus Control.

Akhila E

Over the past decade, the Modi government’s rule has marked one of the darkest periods for higher
education in India, as universities across the country have been systematically stripped of their
autonomy, diversity, and democratic ethos. Instead of nurturing critical thinking and scientific temper,
the government has pursued an aggressive agenda of saffronisation recasting academic spaces to reflect
the ideological framework of the RSS. Institutions that once symbolized intellectual freedom, such as
JNU, HCU, DU, and Pondicherry University, have been turned into battlegrounds of political
interference and administrative authoritarianism.

Parallel to this political assault, gender relations within campuses have also been deeply affected by the
misogynistic ideology rooted in the RSS worldview. The RSS and its affiliates promote a regressive
notion of womanhood, one that confines women to traditional, subordinate roles and discourages their
autonomy in public life. This patriarchal outlook has translated into a hostile environment for women
and gender minorities in higher education. Students across the country have been raising their voices
against the increasing instances of sexual harassment, gender-based violence, and the systematic erosion
of democratic spaces in higher educational institutions. These incidents are not isolated, they reflect a
deeper crisis in campus governance and the state of basic student rights in India today. From its very
inception, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) has stood at the forefront of student struggles, raising
critical issues, questioning administrative irregularities, and defending the rights of the student
community.

The fearless movement that began in Pondicherry University in 2013, following the Kavya and Vidya
issue that exposed incidents of ragging and sexual harassment, marked the beginning of a decade-long
resistance in Pondicherry University. Ever since the 2013 incidents, the university has repeatedly
attempted to shield the accused and suppress the survivors. SFI has categorically exposed these coverups and demanded transparency, accountability, and justice from the university authorities. Throughout
these years, SFI has remained unwavering in its commitment to defend campus democracy and build
spaces rooted in equality, justice, and freedom of expression.

The struggle for gender justice and democratic rights reached a critical moment on October 9, 2025,
when the SFI Pondicherry University Unit organised a protest in front of the Administrative Block. The
protest demanded Re-constitution of ICC as per the UGC regulations, 2015. It sought free and fair
inquiries on the complaints of sexual harassments which also includes the faculties as abusers. The
growing number of complaints are a direct reflection of institutional apathy and the lack of gender
sensitivity that pervades the university system.

The administration’s response was repressive and violent. Twenty-four students were arrested and
detained after police forces were allowed to freely enter the campus and attacked the protesting students.
This blatant state intervention exposed the shrinking democratic space in universities under the current
regime, where student voices are criminalised instead of being heard. The university administration put
the protesting students in the hands of police force which caused a severe clash between them, which
led the incident to become a national issue. In the aftermath, SFI called for a nationwide protest
gathering regarding this matter. Since then, the Left-led students’ movement, has consistently
challenged the authoritarian tendencies of the university administration. At the same time other
progressive student organisations went silent and were hiding in fear of the administrative oppression.

The strong opposition voices of the Left continue to echo through the corridors of Pondicherry
University, confronting an administration that is guarded by right-wing karyakarthas rather than by
principles of justice and democracy. Shockingly, instead of addressing the grievances of the students,
the university administration has resorted to protect the perpetrators. Faculty members accused of sexual
harassment have been allowed to continue taking classes even after formal complaints were lodged.
While students who dared to speak up against such injustices were brutally beaten by the police within
the campus premises and taken into custody. Such acts reveal the inhumane and irresponsible attitude
of the administration and its attempt to silence any form of dissent.

Following the protest, in the history of PU, first ICC elections were conducted along with the Students’
Council elections. Despite heavy interference from the Sangh administration and overt support from the
university authorities for the ABVP, students decisively rejected the right-wing organisation. In the
November 8 2025 elections, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) along with the alliance of AISF
secured a clean sweep, winning the full panel and emerging as the single organisation with a majority.
In the general seats out of 5, SFI won 4. And SFI won all the executive council seats with great margin.
In every corner of Pondicherry University, mainland and island alike, students have shown that they
refuse to surrender their rights, their dignity, and their voice. SFI also swept the ICC and council
elections in all regional campuses of Pondicherry University, including Mahe, Karaikal, Port Blair, and
Lawspet.

However, the election process was not free from intimidation. The sudden seat increase in Category 3
(PhD) was strategically used by faculties affiliated with Akhil Bhartiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh
(ABRSM) to pressure research scholars to contest on behalf of the ABVP. Many students faced threats
and coercion when they attempted to stand for progressive and left organisations. There were several
incidents of death threat calls from the local BJP leaders to the students. These actions reveal how
deeply the RSS machinery has penetrated academic institutions, weaponising administrative structures
to influence student politics and suppress opposition voices.

Amidst all the repression and ideological interference, the victory of the SFI-led progressive front
represents more than just an electoral win, it marks a renewed assertion of student unity and democratic
values. The movement at Pondicherry University stands as part of a larger national struggle to reclaim
campuses as spaces of equality, freedom, and justice.

The ongoing efforts of students to ensure a gender-sensitive, inclusive, and democratic university
continue to challenge the Sangh’s attempts at ideological control. Incidents of sexual harassment,
gender-based discrimination, and institutional victim-blaming have become disturbingly frequent, with
administrations often shielding the perpetrators instead of protecting survivors. The absence of effective
and independent Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs), coupled with the normalization of moral
policing by right-wing groups, has further restricted women’s mobility, freedom of expression, and
participation in campus politics. With the SFI-led council now in power, the echo of this resistance will
reverberate through the administrative corridors, keeping alive the spirit of student movements that
envision universities as spaces for critical thought, gender justice, and social transformation.

The decade-long struggle of SFI in Pondicherry University stands as a testament to the unyielding spirit
of the Left, a struggle that continues, against all odds, for a democratic and progressive campus.

Akhila is a research scholar and vice president of SFI Pondicherry