Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association

Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association or BAPSA is a student organization formed on 15 November 2014,^[1] the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda and is active at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.^[2][3] It works for student rights and issues of Other Backward Castes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Muslim, Kashmiris, students from the Northeast and LGBT community on campus.^[4][5] It believes that Indian Communists failed to oppose 'Brahmanism' both culturally and politically.^[6] In 2016 JNUSU Elections, BAPSA Presidential candidate Sonpimple Rahul Punaram secured second position with 1545 votes against the winner left candidate's 1954 votes.^[7] This was a impressive achievement as BAPSA presidential candidate secured 500% more votes than its own 2015 nominee, Chinmaya Mahananda who got 300-odd votes.^[8]

Agenda

Agenda points of BAPSA are:^[9]

• Ensure Minority Deprivation points.
• Reduction of viva marks from 30 to 10.
• Hostel Accommodation for SC, ST, OBC and Religious Minorities students on priority basis.
• Ensure the representation of SC/ST/Religious Minorities in GSCASH and strengthen GSCASH.
• Constitute Grievance redressal cell regarding forced dropout of SC/ST/OBC/Religious Minorities students.
• Establish new Centre for Minority Studies and Centre for Dalit and Adivasi Studies.
• Constitute separate Grievance redressal cell to address the issue of racial discrimination.
• Strengthen the Equal Opportunity Cell.
• Immediate construction of new hostels.
• Increase MCM fellowship
• Wi-Fi connectivity in all hostels.
• End the 'diversion' of allotted SC/ST/OBC special funds.
• Sensitize campus on the issues of LGBTQ.
• Immediate formation of JNU Press.
• Speedy disbursal of fellowship (OBCNF, RGNF, MANF) amount.
• Fulfil all the reserved seats (both students and faculty) in every centre/school.
• Provide safety and modern equipment to all the workers in JNU.
• Extension (duration) of fellowship for research scholars.
• 24*7 health care facilities and provide the health insurance policy to all students.
• Address the irregularity of the remedial coaching classes.
• Ensure separate study room for PWD students in hostels with computers and separate transport facility.
• Ensure eco-friendly transport system facility in campus.

Student Activities

In March 2015, BAPSA organised ex-CM Bihar, Jitan Ram Manjhi's lecture on Politics, Caste & Discrimination: Experience of a Dalit CM.^[10]

See also

• Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union

References

1. Ashraf, Asad. "Jai Bheem louder than Lal Salaam".
2. "Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association (BAPSA)".
3. "Chinmaya Mahanand of the year-old Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association rejects left, right and centre groups. "The Brahminist, capitalist and fascist," he says, "are perpetuating their rule." "All policies are anti-Dalit, anti-adivasi and anti-Muslim," he states adding, "There's discrimination against Dalits within JNU."".
4. Swaroop, Vishnu. "In JNU student poll, Kabali mauls Gabbar".
5. "the emergence of Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association (BAPSA), which represents the interests of the reserved categories".
6. India (11 September 2015). "Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association (BAPSA) candidate Chinmaya Mahanand took on communists of the country, saying they failed to oppose Brahmanism either culturally or politically". The Indian Express. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
7. "The Left wants a false binary: JNU's losing Ambedkarite leader says the fight is not against ABVP".
8. "JNUSU Polls and Identity Politics Among Dalit Millennials".
9. "BAPSA's Vision and JNUSU Elections". Round Table India. 5 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
10. "JNU students hail 'messiah' Manjhi - Former chief minister alleges politics over attempt to work for Dalits' welfare".