DUSU office-bearers, 16 hostellers released
Sanjog Gupta

New Delhi, November 2
The central panel office bearers of Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) and 16 other residents of Jubilee Hall were released from police detention late last night. The DUSU office bearers and Jubilee Hall residents were detained at the Civil Lines Police Station after they had resorted to violence outside the office of the Vice-Chancellor.

The extended holiday spell in Delhi University owing to Divali festival has subdued the agitation somewhat as many of the hostel residents have left for their homes.

The DUSU, meanwhile, have pledged their full support to the hostel residents and has vowed to take the agitation to its logical conclusion-the resignations of the provost, warden and resident tutor of the Jubilee Hall.

Nakul Bharadwaj, DUSU president said, “we will ensure that the residents receive justice. We were forced to adopt aggressive means and will not be deterred from using them again.”

In events preceding the detention, the three hostel officials were allegedly roughed up and locked up in the resident tutor’s room on Thursday night by the hostel residents.

The hostel residents had also ‘gheraoed’ their residence and threatened to “rough them up” if they did not comply with their demands.

The residents marched to the V-C’s office yesterday and demanded the resignation of the provost, Prof. S.C.Jain.

It is reported that the while Prof. Jain has refused to resign, the warden and the resident tutor have already turned in their resignation papers.

Nakul Bharadwaj further added, “we will see to it that all officials turn in their resignations and will also demand the resignation of the V-C.”

The students had become violent after they were deprived of an opportunity to present their case to the Dean of Colleges and the Dean of Students Welfare expressed her inability to help them. The hostel residents have blamed the deliberate mismanagement of the hostel by the authorities as the main cause of the agitation.

The authorities, on the other hand, blame a certain section of the students for overstaying in the hostel and resorting to nefarious activities, which has led to the decline in the hostel standards.

Financial irregularities, deplorable facilities, lack of ‘student representation’ on the hostel committees and atrocities towards students have been cited as some of the main causes for the grievances of the hostel residents.

Empowering artisans by linking them to markets
Priyanka Gupta

New Delhi, November 2
The Voluntary Health Association of India aims to empower the artisans from the rural areas of the country by facilitating their linkages to the market so that their natural skills can lead to the enhancement of their income. More than 5000 artisans from Gujarat, Orissa, Jammu, Rajasthan and other far-flung area of the country have been brought under the umbrella of VHAI for their livelihood. These artisans have exhibited their works at the Dilli Haat, Lucknow Mela, Kala Aparajita and many other places.

Started in 1970, the VHAI has planned to link nearly 4,000 healthcare institutions and grass root community health programmes spread across the country.

Alok Mukhopadhyay from VHAI said, “It is a development project aiming to strengthen the self- help initiatives of low income artisan groups through the promotion of their works. It enhances their quality of life and at the same time, upgrades their skill to produce quality products at affordable prices.”

Shefali, another member of the association added, “We have tried to develop confidence in them to interact with the market, so that in the long term they are not dependent on us. These people were selling their products in exchange of utensils in Orissa and Gujarat. They have now realised the value of their talent.”

The VHAI has also moved into documentary production and has finished 26 episodes of a serial ‘Sheila’ based on a woman’s struggle in a male dominated society. ‘Anant’, a documentary based on the lives of four HIV positive patients, was premiered on Star TV.

The bright coloruful apparels, small show pieces of wood, photo frames, bags, cushions, tinkling bells, artificial jewellery, ceramics, pottery, lamp shades, tribal art, furnishings, stationary products, wall hangings and many more, these marvellous handicrafts have been exhibited at Tong Swasthya Bhawan Qutub Institutional Area. The artisans from different parts of the country have been provided a platform to enable them to earn their living in all-India handicrafts store, called Kala Aparajita.