JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY

                             (Education  and politics  at cross  purposes)

The entry of politics through unionism in universities started sometimes in 1960s. Over the years, since the political parties have started influencing students to their respective ideologies, things have been deteriorating day by day and the real purpose of imparting education appears to have been lost somewhere. The worst example of this syndrome is the premier university viz. JNU.

The JNU was established under a law of Parliament in 1969 as a central university to impart a new system of education and research. The first unit was the Centre of Historical Studies in 1971. The pioneers of this prestigious centre were eminent historians like Bipin Chandra, Romila Thapar, Satish Chandra and S. Gopal. By chance they all happened to be influenced by Leftist ideologies. Today there are ten schools and four other branches in the JNU but its students union, by and far has remained under the control of the students, subscribing to the Communist political thoughts. Other two unions are sponsored by the Congress as well as the RSS. While in the DU, ABVP(RSS) and the Congress supported union are strong, in the JNU it is a ding-dong battle for superiority between the Communist influenced SFI and AISA on the one hand and the ABVP on the other. The present students union in JNU has Kanhaiya Kumar as its president who is under CPI influence.

This politicization of educational institution is at its worst in the JNU. We understand that the leftist parties prepare articulate students and get them admitted in the JNU. They have special briefing that studentship is their façade whereas the real objective is to baptize others as fellow travelers. They are seen often organizing processions, demonstrations and even strikes on any political or petty issues. They purposely  avoid passing in the exams so that they could continue their political activities for years together. The worst part is that they occupy hostel rooms and do not vacate despite pressure. Some of the leftist faculty members encourage them to pursue their ideological brief. Several communist political leaders including Sitaram Yechury and Prakash Karat have been JNU alumni.

In this backdrop, these elements organized a programme on Feb. 9, 2013 in their university to protest against the hanging of Afzal Guru, a year ago, who was involved in the Pak terrorists' firing in the Parliament campus. One who has faith in the Constitution and judiciary, should not do so because after prolonged 13 years of police investigation and judicial process, he had been hanged by the Supreme Court. They raised slogans like: 1) kitne Afzal maaroge, har ghar me Afzal rahata hai. 2) Pakistan jindabad. 3) Kashmir ko azadi do. 4 Bharat ki barbadi tak jung chalega. This programme became viral on social media. Is not it an anti-national activity and disobedience to the court?

Next day, in a TV debate, some spokespersons of opposition political parties including Mr. Tyagi of Congress decried the Centre for not arresting these anti-national students and committed that he would file a case against them. The BJP spokesperson Dr. Patra was afraid that if the Govt. went ahead with this action, the opposition might make a volte face. It happened exactly in the same manner. On Feb. 14, D. Raja (CPI), Sitaram Yechury(CPM), Rahul Gandhi (CONGRESS) and K.C. Tyagi (JDU) visited JNU when Kanhaiya Kumar had been arrested and other named accused had gone underground. They supported the involved students and argued that it was an attack on freedom of speech worse than in Emergency days.  Some of them had called on the Home Minister to register their protest. The H.M. clearly mentioned that while no innocent will suffer, at the same time no mischief monger would be spared.

The incident is bound to have its repercussions as the Delhi police is determined to nab the ones who are evading arrest. It appears to be another instance of picking any stick to beat the NDA Govt. There are clear indications that the opposition which is disturbed at the good performance of the Modi Govt. and is not having any reasonable isuue, is bound to grab the JNU development to create disturbances in the ensuing Budget Session of the Parliament. The people have to watch it closely and come out with their stand as ultimately it is they who will suffer.