Retaliation from JNU

Yesterday’s evening in JNU marks the continuation of long drawn struggle between JNU community on one hand and the authoritarian administration on the other. In response to the autocratic decision of the administration for implementation of the UGC gazette notification that attributes complete importance to the viva voce for entrance in M.Phil and PhD while making the written exam only qualifying in nature, JNU teachers community has decided to conduct a series of the lectures regarding democratization of the social justice as an act of their defiance to show cause notice raj and creating fear among JNU community through institutional means.

Not only students have faced the rigid and brazen attitude of this saffron administration but recently many professors and intellectuals have been given notices for addressing the students outside the classes and had been warned of “disciplinary action” if they continue to do the same in future. It’s our act of reclaiming Azadi chowk (Administrative block) which for long have now been the site of uncompromising struggles and battles not only against the administration but also the fascist state.

file photo

This kind of unity among different groups in JNU is the need of the hour to send a clear message to the all those people who don’t believe in the ethos of this public funded university and want to govern it as per the farmans of their Akkas in power to turn into some corporate organization or perhaps shakas of Sangh. These lectures will not only add to the academic learning experience for the students but also will help in understanding the way social justice is deliberately denied to the students in form of these policies which will make the conventional centers and people of power in their position intact and will also ensure the further marginalization of the oppressed within these institutions.

We all stand by to the efforts of the JNUTA and will take this forward to create a unity to fight the fascist regime in the universities and also outside it. However, the question that continues to haunt is that will it really help or pressurize VC in taking back his decision? Also in a politically active campus like JNU are different organizations ready to unite for this cause keeping aside their narrow sectarian interests? Even if no static and readymade explanation can be offered to such critical questions it will definitely raise important questions regarding the way JNU is being governed these days and how we will keep these issues of caste discrimination and others not only alive in the campus but work together to reduce them in the cause of greater good.

(By: Ujjawal, A JNU Student)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *