Udaipur- Under the directives of NSUI State President Vinod Jakhar, NSUI activists, led by student leaders Avinash Kumawat and Chirag Chaudhary, staged a significant protest at the main gate of Mohanlal Sukhadia University on Monday.

They blocked the university gate, burnt effigies of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, Higher Education Minister Premchand Bairwa, and university administration officials, voicing their anger against the state government. The protesters demanded the immediate restoration of student union elections and warned of a larger movement if the elections were not held.

Following directives from NSUI State President, Rajasthan In-charge Sahil Sharma, and Akhilesh Yadav, the Udaipur NSUI, under the leadership of NSUI leaders Neeraj Meghwal and Devendra Singh Rathore, held a protest in the main departments of Mohanlal Sukhadia University.

They demanded the restoration of student union elections and announced a work boycott. Through their protest, NSUI student representatives conveyed that the government should promptly announce student union elections, or the movement would intensify.

Recently, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot tweeted, demanding student elections: "During our government, student union elections couldn't be held in the election year due to police and administrative feedback as the administration was busy preparing for assembly elections. Most colleges were involved in election activities such as training, EVM storage, and vote counting centers. I believe student union politics is the first school of democracy. It raises awareness about democracy and the constitution among students. I, myself, emerged from student union politics. In the last term, the BJP government had imposed a ban on student union elections, which our government lifted. After COVID, it was our government that restored student union elections.

I strongly condemn the use of force on students demanding student union elections in Jaipur. Instead of doing so, the state government should accept their demands. Using force on students, filing cases against them, and trying to affect their careers with fear are not democratic steps. These students are the future of politics. I also urge the youth who wish to participate in student union elections to not make these elections a show of money and power. Instead, like JNU Delhi, conduct clean and intelligent elections and start a new era of politics."

In addition to the major protest in Udaipur, there have been minor protests and opposition across the state by students demanding elections in colleges and universities.

Last year's student union elections were withheld due to the state assembly elections in November. Recently, in Jaipur, the police resorted to force to disperse students who had gathered to protest over this demand. The statewide student movement reflects growing unrest and a strong demand for democratic processes within educational institutions.