PU student polls 2018: SOI organises party for freshers
To garner more votes, the student wing also arranged a lavish spread of food items and beverages. However, the students were served liquor at the cost of Rs 200 (notes were slipped to the bartenders). With SOI saffron banners as party decorations, the atmosphere of the club turned political.
Like any star-studded concert, it was chock-a-block at a nightclub in Industrial Area Phase I, Chandigarh, as hundreds of freshers were lured to attend a party organised by the members of Student Organisation of India (SOI) of the Goswami Ganesh Dutt Sanatan Dharama College (GGDSD), Sector 32, on Wednesday.
From Rahman to Raftar, the crafted DJ played Hindi, English and Punjabi songs for students who aimlessly danced to the upbeat tunes. What broke the rhythm was a brief introduction of SOI president candidate Pritampal Singh from GGDSD College. Shouting slogans, a SOI activist introduced Singh and sought the support of freshers.
To garner more votes, the student wing also arranged a lavish spread of food items and beverages. However, the students were served liquor at the cost of Rs 200 (notes were slipped to the bartenders). With SOI saffron banners as party decorations, the atmosphere of the club turned political.
Ahead of elections, many student outfits have been wooing students by throwing parties, which they name as ‘ ‘unofficial freshers’ party’. First of many such parties was organised on Wednesday.
Student wings to host more parties
When contacted, the managers of Tamzaraa Kafe and Club, Industrial Area Phase I, Chandigarh, and Paara Club, Industrial Area Phase I, Chandigarh, confirmed that many student outfits are in touch with them as they want to host parties. Most the parties are likely to be hosted in the last week of August.
Presidential candidate of SOI Pritampal Singh, who spent around Rs1 lakh on the party, said, “This is our way of welcoming the freshers and asking them to support our party.”
“I Just sought the support of the students. I didn’t ask anyone to vote for me during the party,” he added.
Another student of SD College, Siddarth Sharma said, “Such parties are political stunts which are performed during the election days. Whosoever succeeds in impressing the youth gets good chunk of votes, irrespective of the strength of the campaign. Outfits such as Congress affiliated NSUI, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) oriented ABVP and right backed SDCU heavily spend on such parties to woo voters.”
