The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad on Thursday suspended its leader Ankiv Baisoya from the organisation and asked him to step down as the Delhi University Students’ Union president in connection with his alleged fake marksheet. The organisation, which is affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, said the decision would be in effect until an inquiry into the authenticity of his university degree is completed.

On Monday, the Delhi High Court had given the Delhi University until November 20 to verify the authenticity of Baisoya’s degree. Baisoya was elected the president of Delhi University Students’ Union on September 13, but has since been accused of furnishing a fake marksheet and certificate from Tamil Nadu’s Thiruvalluvar University while applying to Delhi University for the postgraduate course he is now enrolled in.

The organisation said it condemned the university’s delay in completing the investigation as it has led to “many false information”. “If Ankiv Baisoya is found guilty, he must face all legal action expected in the case,” the ABVP statement said.

The Congress’ student wing, the National Students’ Union, said the ABVP’s decision was taken under pressure as “the High Court order is likely to be out on November 20 and Ankiv Baisoya would have been disqualified anyway”.

“This is an attempt to save whatever little face ABVP can,” NSUI Delhi President Akshay Lakra alleged. “They waited for two months in an attempt to keep the DUSU presidentship with the ABVP, instead of asking him to step down when the matter came to light. The organisation did not set up any inquiry committee of its own. So this decision at this belated hour is clearly cynical and cowardly.”

“We are confident that Baisoya will have a long and successful career in the Bharatiya Janata Party given that he was only following in the footsteps of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani [Modi and Irani’s graduation records have been challenged in the Delhi High Court],” Lakra claimed.