All India Students’ Association president Neha Bora said coordination with other groups ahead of an October 10 protest would focus on shared issues, including objections to voter-roll revisions and calls to hold India’s election chief accountable.
In an interview with The Hindu, Bora described AISA’s relationship with the CJP as issue-based cooperation rather than a standing political alliance. The groups have different ideologies, she said, but can work together where their agendas overlap.
Bora said AISA had reached out to the CJP, the National Students’ Union of India and the Indian Youth Congress. She also cited support from opposition politicians and activists during earlier demonstrations. According to Bora, NSUI joined protesters on October 4 when police detained their bus.
The October 10 demonstration is intended to reclaim public access to Jantar Mantar, an officially designated protest site, Bora said. Organizers also want Election Commission chief Gyanesh Kumar held accountable over voter-list changes. Bora said activists planned to mobilize residents in Okhla, Jamia Nagar and Mangolpuri, where they say many people have been removed from the rolls.
Bora said women, queer people and transgender people were taking leading roles in resistance because of the effects of patriarchal policies. That was her assessment in the interview.