New Delhi: Yash Dabas, the new president of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU), has said an audit of every paying guest (PG) facility and hostel will be his first priority.
This came days after the Satya Niketan building collapse that killed seven people, including five students.
Student safety would be at the top of his agenda, the ABVP leader said.
“Our first and foremost priority will be to conduct a safety audit of every PG and hostel, because we do not want an incident like the one in Satya Niketan to happen to anyone in the future,” Dabas said, as reported by News18.
After winning the president’s post with 24,576 votes, he said the safety audits would be followed by the construction of new hostels and a girls’ hostel in every college.
“I want to thank all the students for placing their faith in me, and I promise that I will stay among you and fight for every single issue you face,” he said.
The five-storey building housing a boys’ paying guest hostel in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area, near Delhi University’s South Campus, collapsed on September 6. The incident became an issue during the union elections.
Dabas also referred to the increase in Delhi University’s hostel bed capacity.
“Let me share that in 2015, the hostel bed capacity at Delhi University was 5,700. Through continuous efforts by ABVP, that capacity has more than doubled to over 12,000 today,” he said.
“I give full credit to every ABVP worker who, while remaining in their respective colleges and campus units, works 365 days a year for student welfare and student rights,” Dabas added.
He also took a jibe at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s involvement in student politics. “We want Rahul Gandhi to become even more involved in student politics, because the more involved he gets, the further NSUI declines,” he said.
Describing his victory as one for students and those who supported his campaign, Dabas said: “This is a victory for the students; it is a victory for harmony, a victory for the Sangh, and a victory for patriots.”
