Shiban Khaibri
We recall the days when it all was started by Mahatma Gandhi in pre independence period to exhort students to leave schools, colleges and other educational campuses and join the freedom movement, thus “recognizing” the power and the strength of the youth in contributing to national political developments. Well, the argument both for and against the involvement of the students in political matters is more relevant now as compared to the years of hard core struggle period for achieving independence in that, all means were thought imperative to be employed to achieve independence. Our ancient Indian Gurukul educational system of imparting education was only and only to impart education, skills , knowledge and strongly building of ethical and moral values in the students strictly up to a particular age and neither the parents nor the rulers and the government machinery was interfering in the educational matters, students and the teachers. That was an ideal system which because of the fast dilution, if not awesome deterioration in the value system, now has become out of context and irrelevant. The parents , the teachers and at the top, our political leaders are all to be blamed, agreeably not in equal proportion, as the major part thereof is played by the politicians.
Has the time come or is fast approaching when in educational campuses in the country, the students must be concerned with or rather deeply engrossed in their studies alone and neither willfully, for a sport or as a pastime, nor under force, allurement or under emotional purge, indulge in politics and that also controversial or opportunist or against the sentiments of any group, region, faith, gender, caste, colour or the family economic background. The students unions should form bylaws mentioning clearly the aims and objectives of such unions to be strictly limited to the issues of facilities of coaching, library and other infrastructural facilities which aim at directly and indirectly for raising the standards of teaching so that the real aim of going to educational institutions was fully achieved. If this all does not take place and the students, not all of them of course, nurse feelings extraneous to the ambit of learning and teaching, to indulge in politics and become pawns in the hands of the political leaders, then sooner or later, it may be noted, taking such actions shall become imperative which could even limit the scope of running freely the students unions. In that, most of the students shall take initiative and a leading part. The shrinking scope of taking of any liberties with issues, other than academic, is gradually getting written on the wall. Only the time factor is in between the students and its reading.
What business had the whole lot of political leaders in taking so much of “selective interest” in Hyderabad University campus over the unfortunate death of a research scholar who ended his precious life by committing suicide? Was there any purpose, to be sincere enough, other than settling political scores or to put it the other way, in implicitly exhibiting of not tolerating a dispensation which is there only as a result of the overwhelming mandate given by the people strictly in accordance with the tenets of our constitution and Democracy? Could the political drama enacted there bring back the precious life of the young scholar and if that was the case, then it was worth it even if all the countrymen would have followed suit by offering Dharnas? The “most honest and the most humble and simple” leader of the “common man” , the CM of Delhi Kejriwal was quick in “certifying” ,”It was not a suicide, it was the murder of democracy, social justice and equality. It was Modi’s responsibility but “his” Ministers ousted (not expelled or rusticated) five Dalit students”. Another messiah of secularism and social justice Digvijay Singh of Congress had a “golden advice” for the students, “This is only the beginning, the student unions must united(ly) fight against communalism as BJP and Sangh had won over the vice chancellors to further the prospects of ABVP.” Rahul Gandhi had more to add to the confusion created by the politicians, eager to politicize to their gains such unfortunate events by firing a salvo like,” This youth was so much harassed and tortured that he had no option but to end his life , the Vice Chancellor of the university and Ministers sitting in Delhi have not acted fairly .” The less said the better about some others more who joined the chorus of “atrocities on Dalits by Modi”. It has become , more or less, a habit now to blame one and one person only for even a cloudy day or a hot day or blowing of a wind in this country and that person is the Prime Minister of this country who vividly and apparently is seen doing his best for the country notwithstanding what we saw for decades together, both in quality and levels of performance , in delivery and degrees of turnaround and that seems , to call a spade a spade, as a stumbling block like or an invincible impediment in coming back to saddles of power by those who had to lose it and by those also who dream to “capture” New Delhi and hence want to use (read misuse) Dalit card, Minority card, secularism card and what not, Rohit Vemula’s case being a fitting and opportune issue, though very unfortunately for this country. Can it be , otherwise explained as to why the highest seat of our democratic set up – the Parliament is virtually held hostage so much so that the country is on the brink of undergoing a constitutional crisis . Why those enjoying majority in Rajya Sabha shall continue to disregard the will and the decisions of the Lok Sabha, must worry not only the constitutional experts but those in Political parties who must be concerned about how the economic betterment of the whole lot of the vast population of 125 crore of people could be brought about and better social justice and infrastructural development could take place .
The question arises as to whether we need to debate whether Presidential form of government suits best to the conditions not prevailing but deliberately created in our country where majority muscle power is often used to derail the Parliamentary process or even we can also debate that whether Rajya Sabha was really a Parliamentary necessity or a constitutional luxury, at times, to prolong, defer and even nullify the decisions given by the House where people directly chose and send their representatives.
Intolerance “Jin” or the apparition was buried fast immediately after the results of Bihar elections were out and thank God, the “communal ” and “Phashisht” (read fascist) BJP led NDA did not win but now this Intolerance issue has again started getting sprouted in a “revised version with more teeth” as elections to five state Assemblies are fast approaching. Loins have been girded up , Congress is at once showing tremendous “concern” for the Dalit community and on 18th instant a “Dalit conclave” is going to be held in Lucknow (and not in Patna or Delhi or Jaipur) by them to expose ” injustice” done by 17 months NDA rule as against all overflowing streams of honey and milk under all these years of Congress rule .Rohit Vemula’s father says that Rohit was not a Dalit but how can those who want to bake political loaves, even agree with the father of the deceased scholar, who in his unfortunate suicide note had aptly remarked, ” …….reduced to one vote, one number and one item…”
None of the leaders said firmly that strict discipline among students must prevail in and around educational institutions and such activities must be discouraged which looked prima facie anti national, anti social or provocative in any manner and if any attempt to enforce discipline was made, the opinion that such authority must be sacked or penalized shall take this country, more so academic institutions, towards anarchy and disorder. Who shall benefit ?
In Tamil Nadu , three female medical students recently committed suicide as they were feeling suffocated on account of the total indifference by the management towards their academic issues, they were fleeced by charging exorbitant fees in lacs, they were even made to do cleansing of floors, cooking and other menial work but did anyone shed a tear for them, or dish out any political even customary anti Modi statement , not to speak of sitting on Dharnas etc. No, because they were not Dalits nor from vote banks. We have distinguished panelists on various TV Channels introduced as Dalit thinker, Dalit writer, Dalit historian, Dalit activist and so on instead of a thinker, a known writer or a noted historian etc. The reports very often like four students, including one Dalit harassed, does not augur well. Tanzanian episode a few days ago at Bangalore was shocking but neither Rahul Ji, nor Kejri Ji, nor Mamta Ji nor others spoke a word, let alone sit in hunger strike. Any injustice with non Dalit or non minority segments is not politicized or given as much importance and attention. Politicians have to declare that they did not need to bother for their votes, not in the least.
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