A full disclosure at the outset. The writer of these lines—neither a Marxist nor a Saffron flag-bearer—spent four decades of his life at the JNU and remembers most of this time as stimulating years, satisfying and enriching in many ways. Not once did he feel the pressure to conform to ‘JNU culture’, ‘dominant’ ideology or feared for life or limb. There were midnight raids during the Emergency and some ugly incidents in the aftermath of militant students’ agitation in 1982-83. The university was constrained to declare a zero semester but normalcy returned slowly. JNU couldn’t remain an island of tranquillity surrounded by a turbulent sea. What survived till January 5, 2019 was the dream of a place where one could express one’s views and engage in fierce debates. Now that dream has turned into a living nightmare. But then this piece is not about the JNU one knew. Eight years since retirement have made it easier to get over nostalgia. What hurts is that the institution once considered a peerless centre of excellence is being systematically destroyed.
Failing to get the better of their liberal-minded fellow students in rational debates, the dogmatic ultra-nationalistic students have resorted to lathis and iron rods. Masked goons not only unleashed a reign of terror but also brazenly boasted of teaching the traitors a lesson. Slogans were abusive and inflammatory. Post-facto justification has been offered that the raid was retaliatory, in pre-emptive self-defence. What is most shameful is that the VC and other authorities responsible for protecting the students remained silent spectators. The police deployed in large numbers displayed inexplicable and extraordinary restrain. But then this piece is not about JNU.
What we are witnessing is the stubbornness of a government that refuses to yield space for dissent. It prefers to use sledgehammers to squash to pulp bothersome mosquitoes and buzzing flies. Labels such as Urban Naxal, Leftists, Tukde Tukde Gang, Libtards, Anti-Nationals, Khan Market Gang are applied recklessly to vilify whoever dares to question the policies of the government or comes out in support of the brutalised. The unrest is not confined to Delhi; it has spread to IITs and other research institutions of eminence. Writers, artists, actors and retired civil servants with impeccable reputations have stepped out and spoken up against misuse of colonial-era laws to suppress dissent. Surely not all of them are Urban Naxals and Traitors? It is a sad spectacle when senior ministers in the central government are content to echo what the Boss says or remain sheepishly silent. Patriotism can’t be defined unilaterally by those in power nor can any politically party or cultural organisation appropriate for itself the authority to issue or deny certificates to others.
We can’t overlook that many states—not ruled by the BJP-NDA—have made it clear that they are opposed to CAA. We are being told that opposing any Act passed by Parliament is an insult to that august institution. What is conveniently forgotten is that this legislation has been challenged in the Supreme Court and runs the risk of being struck down as ultra vires the Constitution. A nation of 1.35 billion people comprising great diversity can’t be steamrollered into submission. One can argue till the cows come home that it is the duty of the states to follow what the Parliament legislates, but the catch is who implements such laws if the state government refuses to do so? It isn’t only that Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and West Bengal that are enraged. Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh are also determined not to yield. Now even an ally like Nitish Kumar in Bihar has voiced his reservations.
Crushing indisciplined, wayward, misguided—call them what you may—students may be easy but regional satraps are not likely to be tamed so easily. Specially when the government has its hands full trying to cope with the distressing downtrend in the economy, spiralling prices and an unstable external environment. It appears that pride and prejudice combined with heaps of pettiness have rendered the top leadership incapable of facing truth or attempting reconciliation. The much-delayed sacking of the JNU VC may bring a respite but it will not ensure the ebb of the tide of anger. Or does the disgraced VC survive only because he is seen by his protectors as a Domino that if allowed to tumble will knock down many more pins? Remember this is not just about the JNU. There is too much at stake for all of us.
(Pushpesh Pant is a former professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University and can be contacted at pushpeshpant@gmail.com)