JNU phobia

 I personally do not know any of the participants on this thread except the initiator. My acquaintance in this group is through words. If someone's language becomes intolerable I block him/her. The question of someone's identity in a discourse is not important and emphasis on identity of birth is an attempt of diversion from the thread and not in "academic taste". There is proverb in Bhojpuri, " पते की बात में कौन ठकुरई". My "good boy" image had suffered first major setback when as a XI class student I picked up an argument (for over an hour) with a clan elder of my grandfather's generation, a reputed Pandit and Purohit in the presence of many boys from my age group, subsequently joined by others. It lasted for over an hour demolishing his all the arguments based on acquired knowledge from beliefs; conventions; prejudices and superstitions were washed away. From the school days itself, I firmly hold that in a healthy discussion, age or seniority should not matter as long as the views are substantiated by verifiable facts and convincing, logical arguments. that is why I refuge any concession in argument on the basis of age or seniority, though much junior to many younger people. In a healthy debate the guest teachers and adhocs should be allowed equal space. We are not Palestinians but support their right to life and land; we are not Kashmiris, Manipuris, Naga, Garo, Khasi or Mizo but support their protest against the draconian laws like AFSPA or UAPA. Activism is not constrained by time-space it transcends them. In the late seventies, the JNU students held a protracted protest against DTC fare hike brsving the lathicharge and detention, while enjoying Rs.12.50 all route pass, that is to say were not affected by price hike. Many students (boys & girls suffered fractures in hands and legs. Our struggle had forced the rollback of the hike.

JNU phobia among those who have been deprived of the experience being in the best campus in this country as far as the democratic academic culture is concerned and whose understanding of the campus is based on hearsay/misinformation/rumors. In fact I wanted to comment on this but got involved into prolonged foot note. Delhi University, one of the most reactionary campuses, unfortunately, having no history of any radical student movement despite the potentialities of being hub of radical student activities, at least since the late seventies, can be rated among the lowest as far as the student consciousness is concerned. In no other university the magnificent Students Union Office could be demolished in broad day light without even a passive protest. The only function of College Unions and DUSU seems to be organizing annual festivals and corner commission. JNU has democratic ethos and radical legacies, the alien concepts for DU students. It is neither intended to get into DU-JNU debate nor to offend anybody but an honest and painful self-criticism. Let us put in our bit to democratize the campus strengthening the democratic teachers and students unity for long term and immediate goals. The immediate goal is to do the needful to ensure the summer salary of the adhoc colleagues through their appointments on 21 July (Or whichever is the first day of the session) without going into merit-demerit of any particular case.

13,07.2014