CYSS Rewa

India’s freedom struggle brought to us the idea of swaraj and the possibility that it may be realized in real life. Millions of Indians, including large number of youth and students, made untold sacrifices in pursuit of this ideal. For them, swaraj did not mean merely the end of British rule. Swaraj meant self-rule in all walks of life. It meant people’s direct control over decision-making in the political sphere. It also meant people’s control over their lives and livelihoods, social life without oppression and injustice and self-rule in the domain of ideas and culture.

Sixty seven years after attaining Independence, the ideal of swaraj remains just an ideal waiting to be realized. Political representatives rule in the name of the people, often without any accountability. A handful of rich control the economy with little regard to the fate of the aam aadami or that of future generations. Social oppression based on caste and gender is rampant. Of late, communal divisions have been accentuated. Political freedom has been followed by subservience in the field of culture and ideas. The rampant commercialization of education and the resultant lack of equal opportunities and creativity in this field reflect the mockery of swaraj in today’s India. This endangers the legacy of our freedom struggle and its martyrs. We, the students and youth of India, cannot let this happen. We must come forward to shape the future of our country.

Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) is an attempt to bring together students who accept this historic challenge. The CYSS was born out of a historic movement against corruption. It draws upon the legacy of our freedom movement and other revolutionary struggles in India and the world. It exists to deepen this Second Freedom Struggle against all forms of corruption and to carry this struggle forward into the future. It is to serve as a vehicle for drawing idealist energy into nation building. We resolve to build an India without corruption, hunger, fear, injustice, violence and hatred. We dream of an India where the last person, the aam aadami, lives a life of dignity and peace.

The CYSS aims to dispel the negativity associated with student politics. This negativity is due to the nature of student organisations and their leadership. Most of student organisations have been reduced to mere vote-catching machines of the party they are affiliated to. Money, muscle-power and other corrupt practices creep into their organizations, leading to public disgust. Student leaders are seen to be just netas who have no interest in studies or the well-being of other students and the country. This is what breeds cynicism about student politics.

The CYSS is not here only to fight student union elections. We are here to challenge and change the nature of education system. We want an education that is affordable, high quality and socially relevant. We have not entered politics for posts and positions of power. We are here to connect the students to the real world outside their colleges and universities. We resolve to shun politics of caste and creed, money power and muscle power. We are committed to fighting communalism in all its forms. We are committed to the idea of India embedded in our Constitution. The legacy of sacrifice that we have inherited from our martyrs teaches us to seek nothing short of true swaraj.

The CYSS will strive to dispel negativity associated with student politics in the country and its aim will be to channelize the positive energy of the student power towards nation building.

CYSS stands committed to oppose communalism in all its forms and to fight against politics based on caste and creed. (Please find attached the CYSS vision document).

The CYSS is of the view that student organisations cannot continue to work as voting catching machines of their parent political parties, which is one of the main reasons behind the public disgust against student politics in the country.

Student organisations need to have a clear vision about combating money and muscle power in politics, which is the root cause for corruption.

The CYSS pledges to remove cynicism about student politics in the country and will fight to change the prevailing discriminatory education system.

The CYSS wants high quality affordable education for all, which should be socially relevant.