Shubham Rewar Ends 15-Day Hunger Strike: Major Victory for Rajasthan University Students
Super Admin··5 min read
The student movement that started from the Rajasthan University campus in Jaipur has now reached a decisive turning point. Student leader Shubham Rewar, who had been on a hunger strike unto death for the last 15 days demanding the restoration of Rajasthan student union elections and recognition of the Rajasthani language, has finally ended his fast. This movement not only mobilized the student community of Rajasthan but also created a major stir in the state's politics.
On Wednesday evening, Congress State President Govind Singh Dotasra and Leader of the Opposition Tika Ram Jully ended the fast of Shubham Rewar, who was admitted to SMS Hospital (Sawai Man Singh Hospital), by offering him juice. Earlier, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had also visited the hospital to meet Shubham and made an emotional appeal to him to end his fast. In this article, we will provide a detailed analysis of Shubham Rewar's historic fast, the major demands of the students, and the political and social impacts of this entire sequence of events.
Shubham Rewar's Fast and Key Demands
Shubham Rewar, an LL.M second-year student at Rajasthan University, started this arduous movement for the democratic rights of students and the respect of his mother tongue. There were primarily two major demands behind his Shubham Rewar fast, on which he remained steadfast:
- Restoration of Rajasthan Student Union Elections: Student union elections in government universities and colleges in Rajasthan have been suspended for the last three years. Shubham and his fellow students argue that student union elections provide the first democratic platform for youth to enter politics and develop leadership skills, and stopping them is a violation of students' rights.
- Establishment of Rajasthani Language Department: A dedicated and regular department (Department of Rajasthani Language) should be established at Rajasthan University for the Rajasthani language, so that the mother tongue of the state gets its due respect and academic recognition.
Timeline of the Movement: From University Campus to Hospital
Shubham Rewar started his indefinite fast on July 23 by setting up a tent outside the main gate of Rajasthan University. Gradually, this movement began to receive massive support from students across the state and various youth organizations.
Due to the continuous hunger strike, Shubham's health began to deteriorate steadily. On the 8th day of the fast (July 30), seeing his critical condition, the police and district administration took forced action, picked him up from there, and admitted him to the ICU of SMS Hospital. Even from the hospital bed, Shubham refused to take an IV drip and gave it in writing that his fast would continue until his demands were met.
The table below highlights the key events of this movement:
| Day and Date | Key Event and Status |
|---|---|
| July 23 | Commencement of indefinite fast by Shubham Rewar at the Rajasthan University campus. |
| July 30 (8th Day) | Forced admission to SMS Hospital by police administration due to severe deterioration of health. |
| August 04 (13th Day) | Extremely critical condition in the ICU; doctors warning of organ failure. |
| August 05 (15th Day) | Meeting with former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, written assurance from the administration, and end of the fast. |
Political Stir and Intervention of Veteran Leaders
This intense struggle of Shubham Rewar shook the top leadership of Rajasthan politics. On Wednesday, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot himself reached SMS Hospital. He expressed concern over Shubham's health and advised him to drink water.
Gehlot launched a sharp attack on the state's BJP government (Bhajanlal Sharma government) through the social media platform X and the media. He said:
"When student union elections can be held in the neighboring state of Madhya Pradesh after eight years following the intervention of the High Court, why not in Rajasthan? The state government must understand the power of Gen Z and immediately establish a dialogue with the students."
Following this, on Wednesday evening, Congress State President Govind Singh Dotasra and Leader of the Opposition Tika Ram Jully reached the hospital, offered juice to Shubham, and ended his 15-day-long fast. Both leaders assured the students that the Congress party stands completely with the youth of the state in this demand for the restoration of Rajasthan student union elections.
Administration's Assurance and Partial Victory for Students
Before the unwavering resolve of Shubham Rewar, the administration finally had to bow down. On Wednesday evening, Jaipur District Collector Sandesh Nayak met Shubham in the hospital and gave important assurances on behalf of the government and university administration regarding his demands:
- Establishment of Rajasthani Language Department: The administration has officially accepted the demand to open a Rajasthani Language Department at Rajasthan University. This is being considered a historic and first major victory for the student community and the Rajasthani mother tongue.
- Assurance on Student Union Elections: The District Collector assured that he would strongly present the demand to restore student union elections before the state government and efforts would be made to take a positive decision on this soon.
Shubham Rewar expressed satisfaction after this assurance and said that the establishment of the Rajasthani Language Department is the first major victory of his struggle, but his democratic struggle for the restoration of student union elections will continue in the future.
Importance of Student Union Elections and Youth Politics
Student union elections have held an extremely important place in Indian democracy. Several veteran leaders of Rajasthan, such as Raghu Sharma, Mahesh Joshi, and Rajendra Rathore, have emerged from this nursery of student politics to reach the leadership of the state and the country.
With the closure of student union elections, there is no platform left in universities to raise the issues of common students. This is why the demand for the restoration of Rajasthan student union elections is not limited to Jaipur alone, but has become a highly popular demand linked to the future of youth and students preparing for competitive exams across Rajasthan.
Conclusion
This arduous 15-day fast and struggle of Shubham Rewar is proof that when the youth unite for their rights, the government and administration have to listen to their voice. The approval for the establishment of the Rajasthani Language Department is a golden outcome of this movement, which has given a new dimension to the culture and language of Rajasthan. However, the final decision of the government on the main demand of holding student union elections is still awaited.
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