Youths perform during the Open Bihu organised by Gauhati University unit of the NSUI on Sunday and AASU and NSUI members scuffle during the programme. Picture by UB Photos and Telegraph picture

April 29: Over seven Bihu troupes which arrived for a mukoli Bihu programme on the Gauhati University campus this morning on invitation of the National Students Union of India, came in for a rude shock when AASU members began opposing the event, leading to an unsavoury scuffle.

The Gauhati University unit of the NSUI had arranged for the function at the university ground. The AASU, however, countered that no organisation with political connections would be allowed to hold a Bihu function on the campus.

It was around 11.15am. The day’s first troupe, a Karbi cultural group, had just began performing, waving gaily with only the warm mid-morning sun as the audience, when members from the two student organisations got into a heated discussion.

Within a few minutes, there was complete chaos, with most finding the behind-the-stage argument more entertaining.

Some alleged that a few NSUI youths from Bongaigaon district even threatened university students that they would “break their hands” if they tried to stop the function.

While AASU members kept insisting that any organisation having connection with political party should not be allowed to organise a Bihu function on university campus, the NSUI members said everybody has the right to celebrate Bihu there.

The NSUI members said various organisations were allowed to hold functions on the university field and a few weeks ago even a private television channel was allowed to hold a rock music concert there, so there should be no objection to NSUI members holding a Bihu function.

Before the function started, a delegation of AASU members had met vice-chancellor Okhil Kumar Medhi in the morning.

After the meeting, Medhi went to the playground accompanied by the university’s registrar, and clarified his stand that the university authorities would not allow any “outside” organisation to hold functions on the university’s playground and if that is allowed, “even the people of the state would not accept it”.

“But we will not oppose if the students of the university organise the function,” Medhi said.

But after Medhi left the field and NSUI members went back to their scheduled programme, AASU members tried to stop the proceedings, which led to the scuffle.

AASU members said they would not have opposed the function had the NSUI members not put up any banner with their name on it.

“The NSUI members are organising the function forcefully here. They do not have permission. They entered the playground by gundagiri. We do not have support to their programme. But we will not oppose if they remove their banners from the playground,” said Bitul Chutia, president of AASU university’s unit.

The NSUI had its answer ready.

“The function is organised by the Gauhati University unit of NSUI which means the organisers are the students of the university. What mistakes have we made by organising a Bihu function here? The playground was even allowed to hold a rock concert. The AASU is opposing us because they have seen that NSUI are doing good work for the students of the state which they are unable to do. And we do not know why our vice-chancellor, Medhi Sir, opposed us,” said Surajit Saikia, president NSUI’s Gauhati University unit. Despite of the arguments, the function was held with the NSUI’s banner. A student of the university said, of late, Gauhati University has become a fighting ground for the AASU and NSUI.

“While AASU is struggling to retain its hold in the university, where its head office is located, the NSUI is increasing its support base, which has led to several bitter incidents in the past three years,” said the student. The Post Graduate Students Union of the university has also been divided into two groups.