What in essence defines a state, in practical terms of enforcement, is a monopoly on violence. It grants its agents immunity and separates it from any other class of citizens exhibiting its will through physical force. It also legally equips the agents to prevent other groups from indulging in the same. When this structure breaks, and foot soldiers of one ideology are able to play thought police with impunity or even with official support, a shift occurs; the state is relieved of any democratic character and morphs into another category of the rule altogether. There must be some word for it.

The violent events at Delhi University’s Ramjas College are the latest instalment in a long-drawn pattern. The HCU, JNU, IIT-Chennai, FTII, Jadavpur University and now DU can all attest to being victims of state agenda. Non-state actors (to say nothing of the police) thrashing those who voice dissent is one of the several methods being plied to subvert the idea of higher education. It could be handing ripe positions in varsities to less-than-qualified but politically compatible individuals. It could be forcibly shutting down study circles. It may be restructuring the entrance and admissions process or all of the above.

‘Cultures of Protest’, the seminar organised at Ramjas, was disrupted just as the event ‘The Country Without a Post Office’ was one year ago at JNU. In both instances, what is common is an emboldened ABVP, the ruling BJP’s student wing. Why talks and arguments are being stifled by stones and punches, and why currently any campus may rightly fear its ethos being shredded in a whirlwind of ‘patriotism’, needs closer examination. That institutions of learning are the prime recipients of state intervention is no wonder. It is by design.

The Siege On Universities

Higher education institutions are foundational to vibrant discourse, in and on society. If it is in the interest of a government to curb independent thought, it makes sense for it to train its guns on campuses. Here is where the ABVP becomes vital; it provides the regime with a readymade army of enforcers in student spaces. It lends a physical presence and agency in colleges, the hotbeds for multilateral debate. Therefore, it enables the RSS to hack at the roots of dissent at its very inception.

This is important for them. Their agenda dictates a general overhauling of which education is a crucial aspect. There is a certain absolutism at play in their motivations, which necessitates the removal of other points of view. It is unfeasible for them to allow Ambedkarite, Leftist or secular political bodies to flourish if indeed they are to inch closer to their vision of India.

This vision is a suspect one. In it, education resembles a factory which manufactures a uniform, unquestioning outlook; student activism is finished, dissent is not celebrated but demonised. There is a pre-decided way of thinking allowed, and the marketplace of ideas sells only one thing. In this vision, institutes get rapidly privatised and students are encouraged to keep student life limited to coursework. Careers are framed in terms of placements and packages. The mechanisms to provide an equal footing to those from less fortunate socio-economic backgrounds (and more likely to agitate for rights) are undone.

The ideal the RSS and BJP want to achieve is a homogenous fidelity. They are slowly creating an atmosphere where dissent is crushed, where people will think twice before raising their voices; a mode of governance which undermines other institutions, protects its thugs and tolerates only obedience even as it carries out a divisive agenda. There must be a word for it.

The situation is further illustrated by the fact that freedom of speech is being rationed out selectively. Anupam Kher, Maj. Gen. (retd) Bakshi and members of Sanathan Sanstha (an extremist group allegedly behind the murders of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare) have all come and spoken at JNU. Pro-BJP filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri was allowed to make divisive statements at Jadavpur University. The prospect of Umar Khalid speaking at the Ramjas seminar, however, has led to injured students and teachers.

Nationalism, Violent But Vague

The Indian nationalism being peddled now is peculiar in that it only functions in an antagonistic sphere. It activates when it identifies the ‘other’; something to bash the daylights out of. Without rage, it is shapeless. There is no underlying nuance or logical political philosophy which dictates this particular nationalism.

It may be possible to deconstruct nationalism into empirical indicators to which a positive or negative value may be assigned. For example, it may be considered nationalistic to combat poverty in a country. The fight against unemployment or for some other kind of social justice may be deemed a patriotic fight. Some may feel a sense of national pride upon hearing Indian classical music or after India wins a cricket match, for its diverse cuisine or the dexterity of its charter.

There can be endless permutations. Conversely, one can feel a sense of shame over, for example, the fleecing of tourists, caste dynamics or rampant corruption in India, where the very fact of having enough concern to be bothered can itself be construed as patriotic. In that light, there may be a definition of nationalism tied to real, observable phenomena.

This current brand of nationalism does not feel the need to substantiate itself. Its violent enforcement is confident and vague in equal measure. It does not adhere to anything which can be measured or subjected to rational argument, and instead relies on mythology, rumour and hyperbole. The proclamation of love for the country is simply serving as a catch-all excuse to terrorise people. There is no greater depth to work with.

The ‘nationalists’ who have beaten journalists, teachers and students in the past two years – whether at Ramjas College or Patiala House Courts – are involved in ironic work. Their pursuit is the polar opposite of what it claims to represent. Somewhere in the midst of labeling all opposition as Rashtra Virodhi, the Hindutva variety of nationalism has positioned itself against any national good that can actually be measured. This is based on the sheer number of constitutional values it has offended. Thrashing scribes and academics, not letting universities and courts function, interfering in cinematic freedom, hounding foreign artists, gagging free discourse and trying to dismantle secularism, if anything, are activities which choke national progress rather than further it.

Is Resistance Possible With A Fragmented Opposition?

It is of grave and immediate concern that the Sangh Parivar is on an educational and cultural rampage. However, a larger problem arises out of the factionalism plaguing the groups which oppose it. At the student level, Left politics is sadly mirroring the tradition of debilitating factionalism which has diluted it at the national level, with shaky ties to groups operating on primarily anti-caste platforms. A year since it was liberally used to counter the BJP, the slogan of ‘Jai Bheem, Lal Salaam’ now comes with an asterisk.

The recent protests against the suspension of eight JNU students, in the wake of the university’s Academic and Executive Council meetings, showed the cracks. On December 23, the JNU administration hastily called a mid-vacation Academic Council meeting to clear some controversial recommendations. Many members of the council were away at this time, and a request for rescheduling was made. The administration went ahead with it despite a significant number of members missing. Some students broached the meeting venue (after or at the end of the meet, as per varying accounts) to protest this high-handedness and were subsequently suspended by the administration.

When the student body came out in protest against the suspensions and the unilateral passing of regulations by the V-C, a splintered resistance was to be seen. The AISA-helmed students’ union, with some other groups, was protesting separately while the newly-formed ‘committee of suspended students for social justice’ had set up camp at a distance. This committee was composed of the student groups Birsa Ambedkar Phule Student Association (BAPSA), United OBC Forum and quite a few others.

The reasons for the disunity were not differences of ideology or goals, but baser ones such as arguments over who was for or against the students entering the meeting hall, which faction did or did not show up at the other’s march and so forth.

It was a ludicrous sight. The committee protested atop the steps of the JNU administration block while the union did the same below, with the stairs quite literally representing the gap in cohesion; two factions were at loggerheads even as they essentially rallied against the same thing. A counter-productive situation, it plays into the hands of the ABVP and sets a bad example for the political fence-sitter, who may not want to join a resistance so clearly fractured in the first place. This is but one instance from New Delhi and a notable one considering JNU’s previously exceptional ability to unite against the Right.

More than ever, the larger picture needs to be considered. It is crucial that internal squabbles be shelved in the face of whatever form of governance it is that currently administers India. The struggle is for the retention of vital traits of higher education, freedom of speech or even, as seen in Ramjas, for physical safety; who is seen at the forefront of a cause or scepticism over the methodology of struggle is unimportant.

The writing’s on the wall. Mainstream opposition parties, along with Leftist and Ambedkarite schools of thought, need to show uncompromising unity as the rupturing of democratic processes is guaranteed to continue. Anything short of a wholly united front will certainly collapse. When facing uncharted and multi-headed state power, there is no place for myopia, at the student or national level.

Provincial political desires may wait. At this grim juncture, patriotism dictates that a collective opposition needs to get its act together. Failing this, we may have already witnessed the end of the cultures of protest.

The post Nationalism, Universities And Cultures Of Protest appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

Dear Aditya Tikko, My Kashmiri Hindu Brother,

Assalamu ‘Alaikum is just a greeting which means “Peace be unto you”, it does no harm to anyone.

Being a woman I understand the pain your mother endured when she lost the baby she was carrying. I even believe when you write in your letter to Shehla Rashid of JNU that this is not mere story-telling. I gives me great joy to know that you are happily settled in Delhi with your mother’s blessing. However, I feel that you have missed out a very important point here.

The voices and slogans of “Azadi, Hum le ke rahenge azadi (Freedom, we will take our freedom), Hum kya chahte azadi (what we want is freedom)” etc. are not raised to separate Kashmir from India but for the growing intolerance, the rise of Brahmanism or Hindutva that is dividing our country, brother. India is a democracy, a nation where every individual is free to express their views as are Shehla and her associates. The fight is against the intensifying culture of menace, against the spread of lies and roughing up an ideological adversary.

It was something that happened in Hyderabad Central University (HCU) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) last year. It is something that has now spread pan-India. It is a call for Azadi (freedom) from the thuggery which is attacking the idea of a university, attacking wisdom and reasoning, attacking the rights ensured in the Constitution, and attacking the very idea of India.

Instead of appreciating the fact that a Kashmiri Muslim woman is trying to create awareness about Kashmir and its issues you have gone on to say that she is a, “Jihadi, who should be slapped.” Could you please elaborate in what sense is Shehla a Jihadi?

“We swear to the dignity of all those mothers. All rapist Jihadi Kashmiri Islamists will be silenced by all means. Kashmir is not yours. Forget about it. Forever.”

Does this statement made by you justify the vandalism of ABVP at Ramjas College? You have been a victim to communal violence, you lost your house, your people and your valley and you still talk about violence? Isn’t it strange that not once have Shehla or her associates ever talked about violence? They have just believed in expressing views and protested non-violently.

In your letter you write, “For all those hundreds of mothers whom you raped. For all mothers whom you abducted and snatched away from their children forever. Mothers who are still missing from the valley. Mothers whose breasts were cut off with the slogans of Allahu Akbar. Mothers whose private parts were mutilated with slogans of Islam Zindabad. Mothers whose thighs were tattooed with Islam Zindabad. Mothers whom you disrobed. Mothers whom you forced to parade naked in front of their children.”

Let me remind you about Babri Masjid where thousands of Muslims were killed, women were raped and babies were slaughtered. Or let’s recap Gujarat in 2002, where Muslims were hunted down and killed by goons. Or wait, I got a better example of 1969 Gujarat riots or the 1970 Bhiwandi riots. The list can go on. But the purpose here is not to talk about what has already been done but to make a better India, in which all the communities live and grow together, where the diversity of culture is the most celebrated aspect.

Lastly, I would like to let you know that yes, I am Muslim. Yes, I wear a Hijab. Yes, India is my country as much as it is yours. I don’t belong to Kashmir, neither do I admire Rashid but the reason I am writing this is because I felt that you need to let go of the hate to end the war that you have been fighting with yourself. The war you fight each time you see a Muslim who looks like the mob that attacked your home in 1989. Find peace, brother, but not by insulting a woman saying, “What has happened to you is just a trailer.” Remember your mother and the many other women who lost too much just because a few barbaric people insulted them.

Mr Tikoo, Muslims are not Jihadis and those who engage in Jihad are not Muslims, like all the Hindus are not members of the Sangh Pariwar.

I am an Indian Muslim proud of my country’s rich culture and heritage. I have Hindu friends who I adore and love. Please let’s not create an India where religion is more important than humans and humanity.

I hope you understand that a woman of your country has felt insecure and insulted because you wrote a letter to one of her sisters. It was my right to express my disgust over your open- letter. More than that, I wanted to deliver the message that hate creates blank walls whereas letting go opens new windows to explore. Take care of your mother; you can help her only if you are ready to understand that what happened in 1989 should not be repeated.

The post A Letter From A Muslim Sister To Her Kashmiri Hindu Brother appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

It is quite legitimate for a student to think that the power holders in a nation are saviors of some sort. In a democracy it is right to think that the ruling power will come up with newer and better ideas and interact with the students. But what if the party in power wants its students to think in a particular way and does not allow varying thoughts, ideas and questions to arise?

Universities and college campuses have always been spaces for new ideas, debates and discussions. They are institutions where freedom of thought is encouraged and differing views on a subject matter are necessitated. No country is perfect and has to constantly keep improving and improvising. Hence, contradiction of thoughts become natural and disagreements become the uncontested result. The idea of democracy can thus, be seen sustained through varied opinion, thoughts and solutions based out of dialogue. This is the definition of democracy that I had come to learn.

The recent events that took place at Ramjas College, Delhi University, have shaken me up and forced me to review my definition of democracy. The seminar – Culture Of Protests – was marred by utter violence and hooliganism.

Students, teachers and journalists were beaten by the members of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) while the police watched. The members of ABVP were protesting against the seminar organized by the college. They came out in large numbers and disrupted the seminar, throwing stones in the hall. Later, they beat up the students and teachers who were participating in the event. Their main issue with the seminar was an invitation to Umar Khalid who is doing his Ph.D on Bastar from JNU. He was to speak on “War In The Adivasi Areas”.

To the members of ABVP, Umar Khalid is an “anti-national” booked under charges of sedition last year. He is a “threat” to Indian society. Khalid had to cancel his talk as the events took a wrong turn. Later, Ravish Kumar from NDTV invited him to his Prime Time show to speak on the very same topic.

The members of ABVP threw stones, chairs and laathis (sticks) at students and teachers who were protesting peacefully on February 22, against the events that took place the previous day. This is what disturbs me the most about the protests. There were students not affiliated to any student organization but, people were prompt to bracket them under organisations such as All India Students’ Association, Students’ Federation of India and All India Students’ Federation. The issue was never about these factions or about their political stand.

The protests at Ramjas College and at Delhi University are about the Right to think differently. They are about creating spaces for analysis, debate and about raising questions to understand theories and issues better. People claim that Umar Khalid is an “anti-national” because he was accused of sedition. The “Act of Sedition” was introduced by the British Raj against Krantikaris (revolutionaries) and when translated into Hindi, it is called Raj Droh (going against the establishment) not Desh Droh (going against the country).

Small instances are a proof of the lack of intellect of the members of ABVP which then leaves them with the only option of violence. In the protests, girls were openly beaten up in front of police. When these people can’t respect the opposite gender, how can they claim to have respect for the country? RSS, the parent organisation of ABVP, is the most influential pressure group in the country. The government is also RSS backed and hence, ABVP has the leverage to exercise violence in order to shut people up. Universities are a place of differing opinions and debates and it is this culture that the government wants to kill.

The issue is not about the Right or the Left wing. It is about enforcing ideas, hindrance to student struggle and death of democracy. It’s about exacting violence in the name of nationalism and “Bharat Mata” (mother India). Students in the colleges of Delhi University are being forced to say “Bharat Mata ki Jai (All hail mother India)”. It’s not only about Umar Khalid or Shehla Rashid, it’s about supremacy of one thought, one idea and one race.

Students are open to various ideas and thoughts, the issue is about killing those thoughts and ideologies. Delhi University has been turned into a war field and students who are witnessing these events are scared. They are being labeled and people from various parts of the country are showing support to this violence. The idea of violence is scary for a democracy. And yes, it is definitely about Aazadi (freedom). Aazadi from the people who want to attack democracy, debate, discussion and dissent. It’s also about Aazadi from hooliganism and violence. It is about looking for a better future and no power can stop this student movement, the movement for Aazadi.

The post What Is The Movement For Aazadi All About appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

Editor’s Note: On February 21, members of Akhil Bhartiya Vidya Parishad were accused of using violent means to stop an event on the “Culture of Protests” to take place in Ramjas College since they thought that the organisers of the event had invited “anti-nationalists” to the event. The next day, students of the college organised a protest to retaliate use of violence among other forms of intimidation by members of ABVP. This too was disrupted by members of the Parishad. Various proofs in the form of first-person accounts, pictures and videos of ABVP members physically and verbally assaulting protesters throughout the day in North Campus have surfaced since then. The police has been accused of doing nothing while this was happening and the FIR lodged against members of the party allegedly had distorted facts.

Students from across the country, and even from outside the country, are standing in solidarity with students of Ramjas. Read the statement of solidarity penned by alumni of the college along with the Ramjas SU’s statement here:

Nostalgia is made of more than just happiness. It is sulphurous too.

To many who spent three or more years of their life in Ramjas College, visuals of violence in and around it on 21 and 22 February 2017 have been a source of deep, personal shock. The footpath and the areas adjoining the college gate were often sites of lingering conversations between friends, offering moments of respite from studies, tensions accruing from impending exams or relief to those who had just accomplished a hectic ECA festival and were there catching up their breath or exhaling smoke.

The ABVP struck twice, once attacking the college Seminar Room and then coming back the second day to attack students. In the hundredth year of Ramjas’ establishment, a college founded at a time when protest was an active ideal for most Indians, this singular episode of planned, institutional violence against students and teachers is a grim reminder of the brute silencing of interrogation, peaceful protest, dialogue and dissent being normalised across our colleges and universities, and in our society at large. The audacity with which these perpetrators and their ideologues brand entire institutions and diverse communities of students and academics as anti-national—and therefore fit recipients for their brute censure—also gives the lie to the intellectual and effective bankruptcy of a rapidly emergent cultural orientation premised on simplistic binaries of good and bad, right and wrong, national and anti-national. In a society—and nation—whose ideals are peace, dialogue, and inclusion, these attacks on students and teachers point to the deep ideological rot in the perpetrators’ conception of nation, nationality and nationalism.

As an alumnus of Ramjas College, I cherish the right to self-determination and open debate. I feel outraged that the students’ and faculties’ right to decide what discussion to hold and whom to invite for it within college premises was usurped in this manner. It is disturbing that this violence rippled across the campus as it were, with students being followed, identified and harassed in their personal spaces for having asserted their right to listen to discussions on Bastar and for not bowing down to bodily attacks perpetrated through stones and fisticuffs by members of the ABVP and their affiliates.

Most alumni like me are invested in our respective professions, but the foundations of study and work were laid for us by Ramjas’ teachers and the college’s vibrant culture of extra-curricular instruction. This experience has proved fundamental to our engagement with our immediate workspaces, surroundings, power structures, and our nation. Denying current and future students their right to freely and openly debate issues of their choice in fora of their choice is tantamount to denial of a basic academic right. Threatening and manhandling academicians guided by the spirit of enquiry towards a generation of dialogue will prove detrimental to the quality of collegiate education in our nation. We collectively issue the following statement of solidarity with Ramjas’ students and teachers in this moment of crisis:

As alumni of Ramjas College we, the undersigned, wish to publicly state on record the following:

Ramjas College has for long been characterised by open debate, free thinking, and healthy interrogation of social and cultural norms in the best traditions of the liberal arts and collegiate education. We support all students and faculty of Ramjas College in light of the unprovoked violence unleashed against them by alleged members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and the Delhi University Students’ Union on 21 and 22 February 2017.

We strongly and unequivocally condemn the actions of these organisations and persons threatening the democratic and inclusive spaces of our alma mater. The upward spiral of violence in our colleges and universities in the name of nation and culture is a matter of utmost concern: we are extremely disturbed by the failure of the state and of government functionaries to quell such violence.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Ramjas College and its faculty for all that we are today: the scope and space to think and feel freely and fearlessly; to evaluate for ourselves the truths of society and nation; and the constant encouragement to exceed our limitations and excel in pursuit of economic and cultural inclusivity and the right to self-determination for all.

Some of us were office bearers and members of the Ramjas College Literary Society, a unique organisation actively committed to nurturing critical thinking amongst students. We feel proud to have been part of this organisation and vouch our complete support to our teachers and juniors for courageously carrying forward this interrogative tradition in these times of crisis.

Colleges and universities need to have the financial, administrative, and intellectual autonomy to be powerhouses of open and untrammelled exchange of ideas. We urge relevant authorities in Ramjas College, the University of Delhi, and the Delhi Police to take strict legal action against those members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and the Delhi University Students’ Union who have manhandled faculty and students and destroyed public property in the name of nationalism and Indian culture.

The Student Union of Ramjas has also released a statement saying that while they condemn the violence that took place in the university, they oppose the “presence” of “anti-national” personalities in the college:

The post ‘Violence In The Name Of Nation Is A Big Concern’: Students And Alumni Of Ramjas appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

सरकार बहादुर से आप सहमत हैं तो “सही” हैं और यदि असहमत है तो “नहीं” हैं। आप देशभक्त नहीं हैं आप वफादार नहीं हैं, यहाँ तक कि आपके वजूद पर भी सवाल उठने लगते हैं और एक भीड़ चिल्ला कर कहती है कि आप इंसान ही नहीं हैं।

आप हमलों के बीच घिरे हुए कभी अख़लाक़ होते हैं, कभी रोहित और कभी नजीब। कभी कोई भीड़ घर में घुस कर मार देती है। कभी मानवसंसाधन मंत्रालय से आती हुई चिट्ठियां अवसाद की कोठरी में आपको धकेल देतीं है और आप अपना दम घोट लेते हैं। तो कभी कोई देशभक्त संगठन आपको किसी मामूली सी बात पर इतना पीटता है कि आप अगली सुबह बिना किसी को बताए गायब हो जाते हैं, आपकी  माँ पागलों की तरह शहर दर शहर आपको तलाश करती है। और देश के सबसे काबिल पुलिस उसे ये भी नहीं बता पाती कि आप जिन्दा हैं या मर गए? जी हां ये बुलंद निज़ाम की बुलंद तस्वीर है और असहमति की रियायती मियाद पार करने के बाद किसी रोज़ आप भी इसका हिस्सा हो सकते हैं। ये हकीकत आप देख सकें तो देखें वार्ना कल ये आपकी आँख में आँख डाल कर अपनी मौजूदगी का अहसास खुद ही करा देगी।

दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय के रामजस कालेज  में 21, 22 फ़रवरी को जो घटना घटी वो साफ़ इस बात का संदेश है कि “प्रतिरोध की संस्कृति” बचाए रखने के लिए अब कीमत चुकानी होगी। अब अभिव्यक्ति के खतरे उठाने पड़ेंगे। क्योंकि वो जिनके पास सत्ता है वो “बात के बदले लात” की संस्कृति चलाना चाहते हैं। ये अपने सच को सच साबित  करने  के लिए आपका सर फोड़ सकते हैं। आपकी हड्डियां तोड़ सकते हैं।

आइये रामजस विवाद के बहाने  देश में पनप रही “बात के बदले लात” की संस्कृति को समझते हैं और ये भी समझने की कोशिश  करते  हैं  कि वो कौन सी चीज है जिससे ये देश और धर्म ठेकेदार डरते हैं और इतना डरते हैं कि हिंसक हो जाते हैं।

रामजस कालेज में आयोजित सेमीनार को इस बात पर  रोक  दिया  गया क़ि उमर खालिद और शेहला राशीद को वहां आना था और ये दोनों लोग ठेकेदारों के हिसाब से देशद्रोही है, जबकि न्यायालय में उमर खालिद  के खिलाफ ठोस सबूत नहीं पेश किये जाने पर उसे जमानत मिली है और दिल्ली पुलिस अभी तक चार्जशीट भी नहीं फ़ाइल  कर पायी है।

शेहला के विरोध का कारण कश्मीर पर उसका नज़रिया है। जिससे विरोधी संगठन सहमत नहीं है। इसलिए इनकी नज़र में उसने बोलने और प्रतिवाद के सारे अधिकार खो दिए हैं।  फिर चाहे इसी विचारधारा वाली पार्टी कश्मीर में कुर्सी के लिए महबूबा मुफ़्ती से सहमत न होते हुए भी गठबंधन कर लें और कहें की हम यहाँ लोकतंत्र को मजबूत कर रहे हैं।

तो कश्मीर में लोकतंत्र कमज़ोर है इसलिए अफ़ज़ल गुरु को शहीद बताने वालों के साथ सरकार चला कर उसे मजबूत करना है और दिल्ली में लोकतंत्र बहुत मजबूत है इसलिए सेमीनार में गुंडागर्दी कर के इसे कमज़ोर करना है। अगर भारत विश्व का सबसे बड़ा लोकतंत्र है तो भारत के एक हिस्से के लिए लोकतंत्र का एक पैमाना और दूसरे हिस्से के लिए दूसरा क्यों है ? और अगर है तो इस पर बात कौन करेगा हम या कोई परग्रही ?

दूसरा ऐतराज JNU में लगाए गए नारों पर अक्सर किया जाता है और उस बिना पर कहा जाता है कि उमर और कन्हैया  ने देशविरोधी नारे लगाए हैं इसलिए ये, इनकी पार्टी और इनकी विचारधारा देश विरोधी है। अव्वल तो ये सिद्ध नहीं हुआ है कि इन्होंने देश विरोधी नारे लगाए हैं फिर भी अगर बहस  के लिए मान भी लें तो क्या मध्य प्रदेश में पकड़े गए पाकिस्तानी जासूस क्योंकि भाजपा के कार्यकर्ता थे तो क्या भाजपा और इनकी विचारधारा देश विरोधी है? गौर करने वाली बात ये है कि उमर और कन्हैया पर लगाया गया आरोप एक वीडियो पर आधारित है और इन ग्यारह जासूसों पर एटीएस की छानबीन के आधार पर आरोप लगे हैं। इसलिए ज्यादा संगीन है।

तीसरा आरोप या ऐतराज ये है कि ये लोग आज़ादी के नारे लगाते हैं। बस्तर और कश्मीर की आज़ादी मांगते हैं। और क्योंकि देश आज़ाद हो गया है इसलिए आज़ादी मांगना एक दंडणीय अपराध है और ये जिम्मेदारी एक संगठन ने आपने हांथों में ले रखी  है।

जब बस्तर की बात करते हैं तो पुलिसिया दमन और कार्पोरेटी शोषण से आज़ादी मांगते हैं। सरकारी एजेंसियां खुद इस बात को स्वीकार करती हैं की आदिवासी इलाकों में पुलिस आदिवासियों के गाँवों को जलाये जाने में संलिप्त रही है। पुलिस वहां सरकार के पॉलिटिकल एजेंट्स की तरह सामाजिक कार्यकर्ताओं के पुतले जलाती हुई पायी जाती है।

ये नहीं चाहते कि लोग बस्तर और कश्मीर पर तर्कपूर्ण बहस का हिस्सा बने। ये नहीं चाहते कि दमन और शोषण पर विमर्श हो।  ये हमें घसीट कर पोस्ट ट्रुथ एरा में ले जाना चाहते हैं। इसीलिए ये टीवी स्टूडियो से लेकर यूनिवर्सिटी, कालेजों और सड़कों तक हमले कर रहे हैं। चीख रहे हैं हिंसक हो रहे हैं। देश और देशभक्ति  को अपने तरीके से परिभाषित कर रहे हैं।

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The kind of violence that Indian universities have witnessed in the recent times poses a serious threat to the freedom of speech and expression in university spaces. Last year, the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) were targeted. This year, it’s Delhi University (DU). These are some of the finest universities in the country where students have maintained the space for discourse and debate through constant struggle.

However, since the past few years, this space has been captured by ‘nation lovers’. In the name of patriotism, they have even become flag-bearers of violence. This intolerance towards the culture of discussion is justified through their ‘ultra nationalism’ and everything that doesn’t fit in their definition is dealt with outright violence.

The recent incident in Delhi University is one such example of the restlessness of the right wing. Ramjas College became a platform for open violence and hooliganism when the literary society of the college organised a seminar on ‘Cultures of Protest’ (which was scheduled for February 21, 2017). Umar Khalid, a PhD scholar from JNU, was supposed to present a paper in the seminar where he was going to talk about tribal resistance in Bastar. But the entire programme was disrupted when goons from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) entered the college, shouting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai! (Glory be to Mother India!)” and proceeded to vandalise the seminar. They threatened the faculty members to cancel the event and when the students raised their voices against this threat, the goons became violent and threw stones and chairs at the students and the professors. They abused, assaulted and locked them in a room for hours, while the police remained silent onlookers throughout.

This incident created a furore among the students and they decided to hold a peaceful protest march the next day (on February 22, 2017) from Ramjas College to Maurice Nagar Police Station. A large number of students and teachers turned up to protest against this hooliganism, because they wanted to reclaim their university space and rise against the constant humiliation by the ABVP.

The protest started with discussions and sloganeering. However, the peaceful protest soon turned into a riot-like situation, as the students and teachers were brutally beaten up by the ‘sons of Bharat Mata’. The goons pelted stones, bricks, eggs and slippers on the students and obstructed the march. Once again, the police were mere observers. Neither did they stop the goons from attacking, nor did they protect the protesters from being attacked.

The students somehow managed to reach Maurice Nagar Police Station (amidst regular stone pelting from ABVP members). There, every single protester demanded action against the vandalism and hooliganism perpetrated by the ABVP. They demanded action against the ABVP for the violence and injuries caused to the people, as well as for their threats against the Freedom of Expression.

The day-long violence continued due to the blatant police inaction, which made the state’s bias even more evident. The FIR was not lodged and the station house officer (SHO) ordered the protest to be stopped and dispersed within five minutes. This was the most horrifying phase of the protest when I saw both ABVP goons and the police ruthlessly beating the students up. The kind of violence which was witnessed that evening was no less than what is witnessed in a riot. This must have terrified students across the nation. The police pushed everyone into different busses and took us for a ‘city ride’, so that the protest would end and everyone would disperse.

A large number of students and teachers gathered at the ITO Police Headquarters the following day (February 23, 2017), where they again demanded that FIRs should be lodged. After hours of delay, the police came up with a ‘common FIR’ in which the entire incident was ‘narrowed’ down as a clash between two political outfits, ABVP and All India Students Association (AISA). Portraying this ‘xenophobia’ as a ‘clash’ is another strategy of the state to misrepresent this episode as a minor conflict between two student organisations – and nothing more! It will indeed be a gross injustice to tag this incident as a ‘clash’.

Will such incidents stop after all the bloodshed, dissent, complaints and FIRs? No. These events are not going to stop, rather they are going to take an even more violent and uglier form in the coming years. Fascists are in power, and they are scared of radical minds in university spaces who can pose a threat to them. The intolerance towards the culture of discussion, the ‘ultra nationalism’, the use of violence to suppress voices of dissent and the limiting of democratic rights are all strategies of ‘saffronisation’. These fascists are feeling insecure due to the ongoing protests in the country. So, they react by attacking progressive ideas and institutions.

This jingoism will continue as long as the state wants to suppress all voices of dissent and secure its power. These chauvinists will continue to glorify violence in the name of religion, culture and nationalism. We can recall various events in the recent past where people have been killed in the name of ‘Bharat Mata’.

It was not the existing, false charges of ‘sedition’ on Umar Khalid which provoked ABVP students. Rather, they feared that Khalid would expose the fascist forces, the condition of the tribals in Bastar and the state’s atrocities. They also feared that Khalid would enlighten the students on possible ways of protesting.

So, we can say that the state was petrified by the idea of the spread of radical thoughts among the young generation. When seen in this manner, the entire episode emerges as a reaction to the act of dissent by the students.

In this reign of terror, students across the country will have to unite and raise their voices against this ‘pseudo-nationalism’. Only then can we save our universities from getting ruined by such ‘gundaism! (hooliganism!)’

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Image Source : Sanjeev Anwar/Facebook

The post What Scares ABVP The Most? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

That the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) decided to use violence at Ramjas College, one of the oldest colleges of Delhi University, to oppose an alleged ‘anti-national’ speaker is hardly surprising. This is what ABVP does. But before pelting stones inside campus, the parishad would have done well to read up on the history of DU and its association with words like ‘sedition’ and ‘anti-national’, the body’s pet prop.

People may associate these words with JNU in current times, but in history, the words were very closely associated with a former office holder of the Delhi University. A discussion on the history of sedition law in India, would in fact, be incomplete without talking about Maurice Gwyer, after whom the famous Gwyer Hall, the varsity’s oldest hostel is named. Maurice Gwyer was the Vice Chancellor of the Delhi University from 1938 to 1950. The VC, still remembered as the “maker of Delhi University”, took interest in its development even while the British were leaving India.

The Hindu noted on his death in 1952 that “numerous improvements brought about in Delhi University including the introduction of the postgraduate teaching courses and the establishment of laboratories were entirely due to the efforts of Sir Maurice. He was also responsible for a substantial increase in the salaries of librarians and lecturers”.

Others too have written about Gwyer’s contributions. Here for instance, in a paper on DU’s undergraduate programme, a history professor records the role played by him in the formation of the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA). The changes in degree programmes brought about in DU under his tenure were later emulated by universities across India.

What many people don’t know is his views on sedition. Around the time Gwyer was officiating as DU’s VC, he also held another public office. When the Government of India Act of 1935 brought the Federal Court of India into existence, Maurice Gwyer, who had also helped in drafting the Act, was made its Chief Justice. The Federal Court was the highest court in the country before the Supreme Court came into being in 1950. People differ on whether it was the nature of the judicial institution or the people working in it that brought this result but most agree that this “Court asserted jurisdiction most forcefully and controversially in its rulings in cases involving civil liberties issues” against the colonial government.

The most prominent altercations this Court had with the government of the time related to the Defence of India Act of 1940, an act that was brought as a “wartime necessity to maintain order and crush sedition”. A famous judgment given by Gwyer at the time also related to a charge under a section of the Defence of India Act that read the same as the infamous section 124A of the Indian Penal Code. The government argued for punishing Niharendu Dutt Majumdar, then a member of the Bengal legislature, for making a speech that criticised it for its role in the Dhaka riots. They said that the speech incited “hatred or contempt”, excited disaffection with the crown and influenced public attitude in a manner that hurt the “defence of British India or the efficient prosecution of war“. Gwyer rejected this argument on the ground that the language for these sections and the IPC section on sedition was the same, and acquitted Majumdar.

To be sure, Gwyer was not light on sedition. But he did make some noteworthy comments on sedition that hold a lot of relevance in the current Indian scenario. For instance, he said, “The time is long past when the mere criticism of governments was sufficient to constitute sedition, for it is recognized that the right to utter honest and reasonable criticism is a source of strength to a community rather than a weakness”.

While he did not lay down explicit legal directions for judging sedition cases, Gwyer made another important direction for future judgments. He called upon judges to take equal care of the preservation of order, “a thing in which all citizens have an interest”, as well as “the maintenance of freedom of speech and the right to criticise all matters of public interest”. The advocate and historian AG Noorani adds that this judgment made the Viceroy Lord Linlithgow hate Maurice so much, he wanted to “brainwash the Chief Justice”.

There is, in fact, sufficient evidence out there to prove that that the very campus of Delhi University, even the physical form of it, was created by a person who wanted enough room for dissent and debate, before labelling anything seditious. After all, who was Niharendu Dutt Majumdar criticising but an oppressive British government, that did not even envision human rights for its subjects? If the British gave space for criticism, surely the Government of the Republic of India, that prides itself as the world’s largest democracy, can endure harsher criticisms. If the ABVP can’t stomach this, it should just drive by Gwyer Hall, grab a snack and chill.

The post Does ABVP Know That The VC Who Built DU Was Seditious As Hell? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

By Pradeep Narwal:

Last year, it was on February 9 at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). This year, it was on February 22 at Ramjas College, Delhi University.

The month of February is seemingly the favourite month for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to push its baseless agendas and the debate of ‘nationalism’ and ‘anti-nationalism’ in the society. If we trace the links between the two incidents and the impact they had on the student community, then it will be found that both signal the defeat of fascism and ‘ultra nationalism’ in this country.

Last year, on February 9, I belonged to the ‘right-wing’ side, which was not necessarily always ‘right’. This was the time when I saw the power and the might of the Sangh – from ‘police control’ to ‘media control’ and manipulating videos. We also saw how some students of JNU, namely Umar Khalid, Kanhaiya Kumar and Anirban Bhattacharya, were branded as ‘anti-nationals’ by the media and politicians who don’t even know about the concept of a ‘nation’.

I can assure you that the Sangh has a powerful propaganda machinery which has ‘created’ narratives for the last seven decades. They have even successfully portrayed Nathuram Godse as a ‘nationalist’, even though he killed the Father of the Nation. Even I was made to believe that Godse was a ‘patriot’. When even engineering graduates are made to believe the Sangh’s narratives, it is only to be expected that the illiterate masses will be easily swayed and manipulated by the Sangh’s lies.

Whether it be February 9, 2016, or February 22, 2017, we can see students taking to the roads to challenge the fascism of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). After the incident on February 9, 2016, the students of JNU, Jamia and DU questioned the narrative created by the ABVP and their ideological masters. It was at this time that I stepped down from the post of joint secretary of the ABVP.

In Ramjas College too, the ABVP unleashed brutalities on progressive students who believe in the Freedom of Speech as guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. Even more unfortunate was the response of the police and DCP Jatin Narwal (who was also involved in the JNU incident) – more so, because Jatin Narwal and I come from the same village.

I was also present in the protest march from Ramjas College to Maurice Nagar Police Station that took place on February 22, 2017. However, the students in the march were beaten with stones and lathis by ABVP goons in front of the police, while the DCP was laughing with the head of the goons, the former Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) president.

These events are all big setbacks for the Sangh, because they were defeated in the same month when they were trying to create and spread their narratives. In the aftermath of the February 9, 2016 incident, thousands of students from JNU made a human chain against them. In DU too, thousand of students took to the streets to challenge their lies and propaganda machinery. They challenged the ABVP’s model of Bharat Mata (Mother India) which is limited to vague slogans and rape threats to women.

How unfortunate is it that a daughter of a Kargil martyr gets trolled by these ‘sanghis’ and is given rape threats, when she asked for nothing more than to stop wars between countries? This isn’t surprising because we know ‘sanghis’ don’t like peace. So they stir up trouble time and again. This only highlights how the ABVP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gather votes in the name of the army, while also giving rape threats to the family members of army personnel.

The ‘script of February’ is not only limited to students but also to the society at large. The riots that happened in Haryana in February 2016 polarised the Jats and the non-Jats. The population of Muslims in Haryana wasn’t large enough for the BJP to divide and exploit along religious lines – hence their strategy of dividing the state along lines of caste.

Today, whether it’s Umar Khalid or any other student, they will be painted ‘black’ if they don’t accept the ‘saffron’ colour. Yes, we are all ‘anti-nationals’ because we question the death of innocent Kashmiris, the killing of Rohith Vemula and the policemen in Bastar who are killing innocent adivasis and dalits and threatening to put chillies in their vaginas.

Yes, we are ‘anti-national’ because we are against your Hindu Rashtra (Hindu Nation) model and because we believe in the ‘secular ethos’ of our Constitution.

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Image Source : Hindustan Times/Getty Images

The post Why February Is The Most ‘Anti-National’ Month Of The Year appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

“16 December wala scene yaad hain na tumko? Soch lo kya ho sakta hain tumhare saath (Remember what happened on December 16? Just think of what could happen to you),” said a member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, to a female student of Ramjas, according to a Facebook post after the violent insurrection that took place in and around Ramjas College on February 21 and 22.

The violence that took place wasn’t just restricted to beating people or pelting stones, but it was also allegedly about harassing women with rape threats. Many women complained of getting groped during the havoc. According to Article 46 of the Criminal Procedure Code, women cannot be arrested after sunset, without permission of the Judicial Magistrate of the first class within whose local jurisdiction the offence is committed or the arrest is to be made. Yet, female students were thrashed and forced into police vans; brutally beaten up and humiliated.

What is even more shameful is that all of this went down in the presence of female cops. According to a report by the Quint, male policemen also took the opportunity to rough up female students. What happened at Ramjas proves that when it comes to protesting and standing up for one’s rights, all efforts are made to silence women in particular. “Apart from the physical assault, what was traumatising was the way ABVP threatened us with rape and harassment. It was blatant mental harassment. It was a nightmare,” said a student of Ramjas college.

Yet, women have proved again that they are stronger than any such threats. Students, female students in particular, from all over the country, took part in a profile picture campaign, started by Gurmehar Kaur, a student of Lady Shri Ram College. Those who were part of the campaign, changed their profile pictures on social media platforms to one in which they were holding a placard that read – “I am a student… I am not afraid of ABVP. I am not alone. Every student of India is with me. #StudentsagainstABVP”

While the campaign has been well received by most, since it resonates with how frustrated students are with the cases of rampant hooliganism in universities all across India, it’s horrific that Gurmehar has received rape threats and has been immensely bullied and trolled on various social media platforms for being vocal about her opinion. Moreover, some famous personalities like Virender Sehwag and Randeep Hooda have mocked her on Twitter.

Undeterred, Gurmehar wrote on Facebook, “Why shouldn’t I stand for my friends? Why shouldn’t I stand for my university’s peace? Why should I not stand for these 18-year old and 17-year olds who got beaten to pulp in the name of nationalism?” Despite the extreme hate and media scrutiny that she was subjected to, Gurmehar faced it all courageously. Even though she has withdrawn from the campaign, the way she braved the situation and all the social media bullies, shows her passion for the cause.

Any threat to a person’s security can be mentally and emotionally distressing. The plight of the women students who participated actively in the fight for the student community at large is a testimony to how deep-rooted patriarchy is in our country. Gurmehar’s case is only one such case in point. The objective of this article is not to divert attention from the cause of freedom of speech and freedom of academic spaces that the students of Delhi University having been fighting for. Rather, it is only to bring to attention the added psychological and emotional harassment which certain female students have been subjected to due to patriarchy.

It is a disgrace not only to our ‘nation’ but also to us as human beings, that women students had to face such threats. It is a disgrace to the whole society, that even today, men think that they have the power to silence women, either through social media bullying or by indirectly making fun of women who stand up for themselves. It is nothing short of horrific to know how casually male students have given rape threats in the past week during the Ramjas incident. Nonetheless, it has been heartening to see a large number of women come out and actively participate in all the protests which happened following the Ramjas incident. While some men out there still think that they can silence women with threats and molestation, they must know that women were never this weak and they shall never be!
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Image source: Raj K Raj/ Hindustan Times via Getty Images

The post This Is What ABVP Does To Silence Women And It’s Shameful appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

मैं कई दिनों से चुप था। दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय के रामजस कॉलेज में हुयी घटना को महज एक क्रिया-प्रतिक्रिया समझ रहा था। मुझे अखिल भारतीय विद्यार्थी परिषद (ABVP) के मित्रों पर पूरा भरोसा था कि वह जेएनयू वाली गलती दोबारा नहीं दोहराएंगे। लेकिन छद्म राष्ट्रवाद के चंद ठेकेदारों ने हमें फिर से शर्मसार करने में कोई कसर नहीं छोड़ी। मैं आज विवश हो चुका हूं, कहते हैं ना कि जब सच सुना ना जाये तो उसे पन्नों पर लिख देना चाहिए। इसलिए आज मैं सच लिखने जा रहा हूं।

जब कोई भी छात्र किसी भी राजनीतिक संगठन से जुड़ता है तो वह उसकी सोच, विचारधारा, कार्यशैली से प्रभावित होकर जुड़ता है। किसी भी संगठन से जुड़ने की इस प्रक्रिया में वह अपने कई व्यक्तिगत सपनों, महत्वकांक्षाओं को ताक पर रख देता है। मैं भी एक बेहतर राष्ट्र के निर्माण, छात्रों के हित एवं अधिकार की लड़ाई लड़ने हेतु अखिल भारतीय विद्यार्थी परिषद् की राष्ट्रवादी विचारधारा के साथ जुड़ा था। लगभग 18 महीनों का साथ था हमारा। मुझे अपने अधिकारों की लड़ाई लड़ने का ककहरा भी इसी संगठन ने सिखाया था।

मैंने संगठन के एक समर्पित कार्यकर्त्ता की हैसियत से काम करना शुरू किया। संगठन द्वारा आयोजित होने वाले कई धरना प्रदर्शनों एवं अन्य कार्यक्रमों में भी शरीक होने लगा। मैं ABVP के राष्ट्रवाद एवं सर्व धर्म समभाव जैसे विचारों से काफी हद तक प्रभावित था। लेकिन धीरे-2 इन सभी विचारों का खोखलापन नजर आने लगा। जब भी किसी प्रोटेस्ट में जाता तो एक अजीब सी बेचैनी होने लगती थी। संगठन की विचारधारा, व्यक्ति विशेष के इर्द गिर्द नाचती नज़र आने लगी थी।

अगल-बगल वही लोग दिखते थे जिनके साथ वैचारिक लड़ाई रही थी, जो हमेशा विश्वविद्यालय परिसर में गुंडागर्दी करते दिखते थे। विचारों का खोखलापन, कथनी एवं करनी में फर्क अब सामने आने लगा था। सदस्यों एवं कार्यकर्ताओं से संगठन बनता है, संगठन से कार्यकर्त्ता और सदस्य नहीं और इन्हीं सदस्यों में से एक बड़ा तबका एक संप्रदाय के प्रति ढेर सारी नफरत लिए बैठा रहता था, हिन्दू राष्ट्र के निर्माण की परिकल्पना करता रहता था।

छात्र संघ के चुनाव के समय संगठन के प्रतिष्ठा को ताक पर चढ़ाकर व्यक्ति विशेष की बातें करने लगा था। संगठन भी ऐसे लोगों के सामने आत्म-समर्पण कर चुका है। छात्र संघ चुनाव में किसी भी आम जुझारू कार्यकर्त्ता की हैसियत नहीं है कि वह ABVP के टिकट पर चुनाव लड़ सके। यहां पर आपको राष्ट्रवादी से अधिक पूंजीवादी और जातिवादी होना पड़ेगा। इन सभी अनुभवों से मुझे गहरा आघात पहुंचा था। धीरे-2 मैंने कार्यक्रमों में जाना बंद कर दिया और संगठन से दूरी बना ली।

मई 2014 से लेकर फरवरी 2017 तक के समयकाल को उठाकर देखा जाए तो एक सिलसिलेवार तरीके से शिक्षण संस्थानों को एक विशेष राजनीतिक समूहों द्वारा निशाना बनाया जा रहा है। हैदराबाद सेंट्रल यूनिवर्सिटी, जवाहरलाल नेहरू विश्वविद्यालय, इलाहाबाद विश्वविद्यालय, दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय सहित कई प्रतिष्ठित शिक्षण संस्थानों के छात्रों ने एक नए संघर्ष को जन्म दिया है।

विचारधारा के आड़ में सत्ता और बाहुबल द्वारा एक ऐसे समाज की रचना की कोशिश की जा रही है जहां समूचे समाज और राष्ट्र का हित सिर्फ और सिर्फ उस विचारधारा विशेष के इर्द गिर्द नाचे। जरा सोचिए कि अगर हम सभी एक जैसा सोचने लगे तो राष्ट्र का क्या होगा? राष्ट्रवाद का क्या होगा? अभिव्यक्ति की आजादी पर भय के बादल मंडराने लगे है। वैचारिक मतभेद से शुरू हुयी लड़ाई ने आज राजनीतिक वर्चस्व की लड़ाई का रूप धारण कर लिया है।

कॉलेज के परिसर में लड़कियों को विचारधारा विशेष का भय दिखाकर तंग किया जाता है, आम छात्र जो भी इनके विचारों से असहमत होते हैं उनके साथ हिंसा की जाती है। अखिल भारतीय विद्यार्थी परिषद जैसे छात्र संगठनों ने तो पहले से ही आम छात्रों की चुनाव लड़ने की आज़ादी पर ताला लगा दिया था और अब सत्ता का दुरुपयोग करके बोलने की आज़ादी पर भी लगातार प्रहार कर रहे हैं।

ABVP में जातिवाद, बाहुलबलवाद और पूंजीवाद जड़ों तक संगठन में समा चुका है। प्रति वर्ष दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय छात्र संघ के होने वाले चुनाव इसके सबसे बड़े प्रमाण हैं। अब भला जातिवाद, बाहुबलवाद और पूंजीवाद की छत्रछाया में सच्चे राष्ट्रवाद की कल्पना कैसे की जा सकती है?

The post ABVP से राष्ट्रवाद की उम्मीद मूर्खता है appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

St Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, declared through a press release on February 25, 2017, that it would be preparing to become an autonomous college. The news came as a shock to students, faculty and the non-teaching staff of the college as they hadn’t been consulted while taking the decision. Since then, there have been protests on the college campus, not because the college is applying for autonomy but because of the ‘undemocratic’ way in which this decision was taken.

A student from the economics department of the college told us why students felt that the governing body meeting in which this decision was taken was planned in absolute secrecy, “The meeting was held the day our college fest was starting, so the students were busy. It was in the middle of an extended weekend, where half of the faculty was out of town.” According to him, in spite of all four teacher representatives registering their dissent in the meeting, the governing body decided to apply for autonomy. This led to the first massive revolt by the student body of the college. He said, “Hundreds of students and several teachers stood outside the meeting venue on Saturday (February 25) in silent protest. The principal and the governing body blatantly disregarded a petition signed by 500 plus students and 30 teachers, demanding a consensus and sent out a press release saying that the college is to prepare for autonomy.”

On February 27, around 600 students and teachers marched to the principal’s house and demanded an answer. The principal, Prof. John Varghese, was forced to come out and speak to the students but allegedly gave unconvincing answers. The student told us, “He was not able to answer our questions and continuously kept on saying that he is not obliged to consider our views. One of his key arguments was that college will get more academic freedom but none of the faculty has been asked about it when they are the people who should speak on academic freedom and not non-academics from the church.” A circular was then put up, which defined the merits and virtues of an autonomous college, along with a notice, which said the principal is willing to meet anyone in the office.

There are also allegations that the principal was rude to senior faculty members during the protests. A student from the English department explained, “I don’t know the nuances of what went on between the teachers and the principal but humiliation isn’t a one-way street… However, the principal did retort and say ‘shut up, and sit down, this is not what we discussed in the meeting’ to one of the faculty members.”

Moreover, the college’s staff association passed a resolution which read, “The staff association of St Stephen’s College strongly condemned the threats meted out by the Principal, Prof. John Varghese, to two teacher representatives on the governing body after its meeting held on 25.2.2017, purportedly for giving their dissent on the issue of autonomous status for the college.” The association demanded an immediate public and written apology from the principal to the two teachers and an assurance that such intimidation will not be repeated. The statement also said that members of the association will be resigning from all voluntary administrative positions.

The principal then called a small body of students (students’ union, students’ council and all class representatives) for a meeting with all stakeholders on March 1. One of the students present at the meeting told us that they went to the office only to find out that the governing body will not be joining them. Protesting students and teachers then broke the rule, which prohibits people from using the Andrew Lawns and sat there to express dissent.

How Could The Situation Have Been Avoided?

While St Stephen’s College has a students’ union, students feel that they aren’t given as much power as they should. The union always has to keep a staff adviser in the loop. The students we spoke to felt that a union representative in the governing body could have helped their case.

The student who was called for the meeting on February 27 is of the opinion that while the Principal’s actions aren’t justified, the teachers could have handled the situation better. She said, “Using the media is one way to pressurise the principal, which definitely can hasten the processes… communication is what we lack within the various rungs of college.” We tried to reach the principal for a comment but he was unavailable.

Should Colleges Apply For Autonomy?

A statement by the college’s economic society, which is being circulated on Whatsapp, reads, “The rise in fees, the change in curriculum, etc. may affect only the upcoming admissions, but the concentration of complete power in the hands of the present administration, without any system of checks and balances, will be detrimental to our growth and development too.”

The student from the economics department explained why he doesn’t support the college applying for autonomy, “In extensive conversations with my teachers, they have said that they do require the talent pool of the entire university’s faculty to design the syllabus, which happens at present but won’t happen when we become autonomous.” He further added that students are apprehensive that there may be a fee hike later on, which will restrict the intake into the college based on paying capability and will hence, affect the quality of education.

We spoke to C.S. Rawat, the vice-president of Delhi University Teachers’ Association, who voiced his support for the students and faculty of St Stephen’s. He said, “Students and teachers of Stephen’s are in the right to protest against not taking their opinion before taking such a decision. Whatever these changes are, the students will definitely be on the losing side since a fee hike is inevitable.”

Talking about UGC encouraging colleges to apply for autonomy, he said that he supported autonomy being granted to the University but giving autonomy to colleges might have devastating effects because the power will be with the trust, which might not be student or employee friendly. He also expressed his frustrations with the government, “By promoting autonomy, the government is trying to deviate from the preamble of the Indian constitution. DU exists because of an act of parliament and yet, they aren’t even bringing this issue for discussion to the parliament! They are shying away from public debate.”

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The post Was The Decision To Make St Stephen’s College Autonomous Taken in A Hurry? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

वो भारत की माता नहीं बनना चाहतीं जिनकी जयकार हो, वो बराबरी चाहती हैं और उसी के लिए आवाज़ उठा रही हैं। पारंपरिक देवी और भारत माता की संकल्पना से इतर आज विश्वविद्यालयों की नौजवान लड़कियां बराबरी और आज़ादी के लिए लड़ रही हैं। कभी वो पिंजरा तोड़ने की मुहिम चलाती हैं तो कभी सत्ता के सरंक्षण के दम पे गुंडागर्दी करते ABVP के खिलाफ हल्ला बोल देती हैं। उस दौर में जब लोग कहीं देशद्रोही कहे जाने के डर से, तो कहीं सत्ता की हनक के खौफ से ज़बान सिल के बैठने लगे हैं, तब आधुनिक भारत की लड़कियां संघर्ष का नया मोर्चा खोल बैठी हैं। वो डर के घर पे नहीं बैठने वाली हैं, वो बिना किसी से डरे विरोध कर रही हैं। इस बात को मजबूती प्रदान करती है, हाल ही में दिल्ली के रामजस कॉलेज में हुई घटना।

रामजस कॉलेज में हुए विवाद के बाद दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय में ज़ोरदार प्रदर्शन हुए। प्रदर्शनों में जो बात ख़ास तौर पर दर्ज की जाने वाली है वो है इनमें लड़कियों की भागीदारी। अगर यूं कहें कि लगभग पूरे आन्दोलन का नेतृत्व ही लड़कियों के हाथ में था और उनकी भागीदारी भी अपेक्षाकृत बहुमत में थी तो गलत न होगा। जो गौर करने वाली बात है वो वह सन्देश है, जो ये आन्दोलन दे रहा था। हमारे देश में विश्वविद्यालयों की राजनीति, जो पितृसत्ता का अड्डा है उस राजनीति में दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय की लड़कियों ने जिस जोरदार ढंग से अपनी आमद दर्ज कराई है वह काबिले गौर है। जो दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय बड़े बापों की औलादों की राजनीति की पनाहगाह माना जाता है उसकी चूलें हिला दी गयी हैं। पिंजरा तोड़ आन्दोलन से उठा सन्देश कि “यूनिवर्सिटी हमारी आपकी, नहीं किसी के बाप की” इस बार व्यापक तौर पे हिलोरे मार रहा था।

दरअसल जिन लड़कियों को डराकर, उन्हें उनकी हद में रहने की चेतावनी दी जा रही थी उन्होंने जोरदार जवाब दिया है। लाठी डंडों के खौफ को दरकिनार करते हुए, दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय की लड़कियों ने ये तो बता ही दिया है कि पब्लिक स्पेस में किसी की बपौती नहीं चलेगी। ये प्रदर्शन इसलिए भी महत्वपूर्ण हैं क्योंकि ये विश्वविद्यालयों की बदलती राजनीति को भी बता रहे हैं। लक्ज़री गाड़ियों, पैसे और शराब के दम पे विश्वविद्यालयों की राजनीति करने वाले सामंती युवा नेताओं की राजनीति को ये चुनौती है आधी आबादी की ओर से। ये इस बात का भी सन्देश है कि राजनीति को मस्कुलिन आइडेंटिटी तक सीमित रखने की ये कवायद नहीं चल पाएगी।

ऐसे वक़्त में जब पुलिस आपके साथ न हो, लड़कों का झुण्ड आपके ऊपर हमला कर दे और जो पुलिस हिफाजत के नाम पे आये भी वो आपको अपनी “मर्दानगी” दिखाए तो ये आसान बिल्कुल नहीं होता कि आप हिम्मत के साथ डटे रहें। वो चाहे शैला राशिद हों या कंवलप्रीत कौर या कोई अन्य आम छात्रा, पूरे आन्दोलन के दौरान छात्राओं ने जिस हिम्मत और बहादुरी के साथ गुंडागर्दी का सामना किया वो ये बताता है कि अब ये बहुत ज़्यादा देर तक मुमकिन नहीं हो पायेगा कि आप सुरक्षा का खतरा दिखाकर आधी आबादी को उनके मूलभूत अधिकारों से वंचित कर दें।

दरअसल रामजस कॉलेज का विवाद, अपने आप में कोई स्वतंत्र घटना नहीं है वरन ये उस चली आ रही लड़ाई का एक पड़ाव है। जहां एक ओर तो वो लोग हैं जो अपनी तथाकथित सांस्कृतिक श्रेष्ठता का हवाला देते हैं और उन्हें वो आज़ाद ख़याल लड़कियां नहीं पसंद आ रही हैं जो पब्लिक स्पेस में उनके वर्चस्व को चुनौती दें। दूसरी तरफ से संवाद और वाद विवाद पर जोर देती वो लड़कियां जो गुंडागर्दी का विरोध कर रही थीं। अगर पूरी घटना पे गौर से नज़र डालें तो ये पायेंगे कि सबसे ज़्यादा अगर हमला इस दौरान हुआ है तो वह लड़कियों पर हुआ है। वह चाहे गुरमेहर कौर हो या सुचेता डे या कोई अन्य छात्रा। सोशल मीडिया से लेकर सड़क तक हर जगह ये कोशिश हुई कि इन जोरदार तरीके से उभरती हुई प्रतिरोध की आवाजों को दबा दिया जाए। और इन सब कामों के लिए आज़ादी के कुछ नारे और सेमिनार बहाना बनते हैं।

एक और बात है जो ध्यान देने लायक है कि तथाकथित राष्ट्रवादी ताकतों की ओर से प्रतिरोध की हर आवाज़ को दबाने की मुहिम के बावजूद पिंजरा तोड़ जैसे स्वतंत्र आन्दोलनों ने उन्हें काफी परेशान किया है। लड़कियों पे किये जा रहे चौतरफा हमले इस आन्दोलन को रोकने में असफल रहने की उनकी खीज भी दर्शाते हैं। कुल मिलाकर कुछ ताकतों को ये तो कतई बरदाश्त नहीं होगा कि “भारत की देवी” राजनीति में आएं और उनके एकाधिकार को चुनौती दें। उन्हें ये सक्रियता परेशान करती है और तभी वो कभी बलात्कार की धमकी देते हैं तो कभी गाली गलौज करके हिम्मत तोड़ देना चाहते हैं। लेकिन अब ये इतना आसान नहीं है। कहते हैं संघर्ष व्यक्ति को मजबूत बना देता है, तो सदियों तक हाशिये पर रही आधी आबादी इतने दिनों में बहुत मजबूत हो चुकी है और अब ज़्यादा मजबूती से लड़ने के लिए तैयार है।

दरअसल एक बात जो और ध्यान आकर्षित करती है और सकारात्मक भी है, वह है कि जिस दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय की छात्राओं की स्टीरियोटाइपिंग, पार्टी गर्ल कह के हो रही थी उन्होंने अपनी सक्रियता से ये जता दिया है कि वे किसी भी मामले में पीछे नहीं रहने वाली। हकीकत में लैंगिक समानता और नारी सशक्तिकरण को अमली जामा तभी पहनाया जा सकता है जब पितृसत्ता के अड्डों को चुनौती दी जाए। छात्र राजनीति अभी भी ज़्यादातर विश्वविद्यालयों में पुरुष प्रधान ही है, तो ऐसे हालात में ये वक़्त की मांग है कि कैम्पसों की राजनीति में भी बराबरी हो और ये केवल शोपीस में नहीं बल्कि हकीकत में होना चाहिए। जेएनयू और डीयू सक्रियता के केवल अपवाद नहीं होने चाहिए हालांकि ये पूरी मुहिम को लीड करते दिख रहे हैं।

एक और ख़ास बात है, वह है नारों में। रामजस कॉलेज में हुए विवाद के बाद 28 फरवरी के मार्च में जिस तरह से नारे लिखे गए थे वो आज की लड़कियों की बेबाकी और आज़ाद ख़याली के परिचायक हैं। एक बैनर लिए लड़कियां चल रही थीं जिसपे लिखा था कि, “भारत की माता नहीं बनेंगे”। दरअसल ये वाक्य उस दलील को खारिज करता है जो वास्तविक आज़ादी को खारिज करने के लिए दी जाती है और ये कहा जाता है कि देखो हमारे यहां तो देश को ही माता माना जाता है और सम्मान भी बहुत दिया जाता है। दरअसल आज की लड़कियां भारत की माता बनने से ज़्यादा बेहतर भारत का नागरिक बनने को समझती हैं जो अपने अधिकारों के साथ एक गरिमामयी जीवन जी सके।

अंत में पूरे मसले पे सरकार के रवैये पे भी बात करना इसलिए जरुरी है क्योंकि आम छात्राओं के साथ खड़े होने के बजाय सरकार ने गुंडागर्दी करने वालों के पक्ष में खड़ा होना मुनासिब समझा। मंत्रियों ने ये कहा कि पढ़ाई-लिखाई पे ध्यान दें। जब सड़क पे दौड़ाकर लड़िकयों को मारा गया और उसके बाद एफआईआर भी नहीं दर्ज हो रही थी, तब भी सरकार ने कोई कदम नहीं उठाया। ये वही सरकार है जो कागजों पे तो कहती है कि हर विश्वविद्यालय में जेंडर क्लब बने और जेंडर चैंपियन चुनें जाएं जो लैंगिक समानता के लिए काम करें, लेकिन धरातल पे मामला कुछ और है। अब सवाल तो ये बनता ही है कि,  हे सरकार! क्या ऐसे ही आएगी इक्वॉलिटी?

खैर जो भी हो, बिहार के समस्तीपुर में बैठे किसी सज्जन को ये देख के अटपटा लग सकता है कि हंगामों के बीच विश्वविद्यालयों की छात्राएं दौड़े-भागें। आजमगढ़ के किसी ज़नाब को ये अच्छा न लगे कि पुलिस मुख्यालय के बाहर एफआईआर को लेकर छात्राएं प्रदर्शन करें। लेकिन हिंसा और गुंडागर्दी के खिलाफ आन्दोलन में नारे लगाती ये लड़कियां एक प्रतीक हैं जम्हूरियत की ज़िंदादिली का। उस आने वाली सुबह का जब पब्लिक स्पेसेस में किसी की बपौती नहीं होगी और मिलेगी असली आज़ादी पितृसत्ता से।

The post वो महज़ भारत की माता नहीं भाग्य विधाता भी बनना चाहती हैं appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

By Vipul Rikhi:

Four days ago, we were to sing at Ramjas College in the evening and also conduct workshops on Kabir and Shah Latif during the day. Of course, all this had to be cancelled. The event was relocated at the last minute to Kirori Mal College with support from some of the staff there, and it was kept low-key, attended mostly by a few students from Ramjas, wounded in both body and soul.

Our names were not even announced, but thankfully the singers who had come from Kutch, Mavjibhai Jagariya and Saidu Ibrahim, were able to sing the songs of Shah Latif from their folk oral traditions. Even then, a gang of boys roamed around menacingly, trying to find out if we were doing anything that was more than “just singing some Sufi songs” and to see if they could disrupt it on some pretext. Next day Prahlad ji’s concert had to be relocated out of the university.

It is a sad time for our country when alleged love for the country has come down to this. We heard first-hand reports of what happened at Ramjas from the people involved. It is pretty much a case of straightforward bullying and show of power. What saddens me most is that so many well-meaning people seem to support this kind of so-called “nationalism”.

It’s a strange kind of deshbhakti indeed that approves of outright violence, bullying, de facto censorship, atmosphere of fear, threats of rape, circulating images on Whatsapp of teachers to thrash, and so on, in the name of objecting to some imagined notion of what is “anti-national”. Just like the pundits and mullahs who used to tell us in what way we must bow and pray to God, these days these new priests of power prescribe to us in what way we must love our country. As long as you shout the right slogan, stand up when required, and even beat up people who don’t agree with you, you’re a great “nationalist”.

If you dare to have a view of your own which doesn’t match the current prescription, and dare to express it, you’re a threat to the nation. This would be funny, if it weren’t so tragic, and full of real consequences for real people. The day is not far when even singing Kabir or Shah Latif will be deemed anti-national by these people, and one would need to seek prior permission to speak or sing or stage anything.

Perhaps one kind of twisted consolation is that this kind of madness is nothing new. Kabir says in one place:

Sadhu bhai, dekho jag bauraana
Saach kahun to maaran dhaave, jhoothe jag patiyaana

(Fellow seeker, look, the world has gone mad!
If you speak the truth, you get beaten up; but speak falsehoods and you will find many followers.)

I don’t know if there’s any space left for a sane debate, especially with those who are okay with this kind of violence and bullying in the name of being “nationalists”, but I would have thought that real deshprem or love for the country is a totally different thing.

Love is not oppression. How can love for the country be full of so much oppression, fear, violence and prescribed codes of speech and conduct? How can love for the country include going against some of its most fundamental values, such as the basic respect we accord to teachers, whether we like them or not? This is the first time, we were told, that teachers have been targeted and thrashed. A basic line of trust has been breached. How can love for the country include threatening your own country men and women with physical or sexual violence?

We may not agree with many other people’s opinions, but does that mean that we will beat and bully them into silence? What kind of country will there be left to love?

I feel a deep love for this land in my blood and veins, in my flesh and skin, in my breath and heart. But this love can only express itself in a deep feeling and joy and celebration of all that is good about us, our culture, dance, music, arts, poetry, philosophy and most of all the spirit which is accepting, loving and has space for everything. We must think about what the real values are which define this country, beyond sloganism and prescription-based gesturing.

In any case, this probably has nothing to do with love for the country, but with a pure and simple love of power. What Samuel Johnson famously said of “patriotism” now applies to our so-called “nationalism” – it is indeed the last refuge of the scoundrel.

What saddens me most though, as I said, is the number of well-meaning private individuals (not the politicians who are interested in accruing power) who support this so-called deshbhakti. We must think about the real meaning of “desh”, and the real meaning of “bhakti”, before we find ourselves legitimising violence, harassment, censorship, bullying and goonda-raj in the name of some mythical ideological construct that we have been skilfully sold by those in power for their own agendas.

For Shabnam and me, personally, to be present that day at Delhi University, and just to play manjiras for those folk singers from Kutch, who truly represent the best of our land, was an act of love for our country.

The post It’s A Strange Kind Of Deshbhakti That Approves Of Violence, Bullying And Rape Threats appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

दिल्ली यूनिवर्सिटी के नॉर्थ कैंपस में जिस मुद्दे को लेकर धरना प्रदर्शन चल रहा है वो आप जानते ही हैं। वहीं यूनिवर्सिटी के भीम राव अम्बेडकर कॉलेज में भी स्टूडेंट धरना प्रदर्शन कर रहे हैं। लेकिन मुद्दा और मामले अलग हैं। कॉलेज में सभी स्टूडेंट्स लैपटॉप, वाईफाई, महिला सुरक्षा, महिला सशक्तिकरण, कॉलेज के पास धूम्रपान मुक्त वातावरण, कैन्टीन में खाने की समस्या और सबसे जरुरी ज्योग्राफी और मीडिया डिपार्टमेंट के लिए लैब की मांग को लेकर प्रशासन के खिलाफ धरना दे रहे हैं।

धरना प्रदर्शन के दौरान स्टूडेंट्स ने कॉलेज प्रशासन व प्रिंसिपल के खिलाफ नारेबाज़ी की। कॉलेज के छात्रसंघ के अध्यक्ष मनीष इक्कानिया ने बताया कि हमारी यूनियन पिछले छः महीने से प्रशासन को कॉलेज की समस्याओं को लेकर नोटिस दे रही है लेकिन किसी प्रकार की कोई भी सुनवाई नहीं हो रही थी। हमने धरना प्रदर्शन को लेकर भी प्रशासन को नोटिस भेजा था लेकिन प्रशासन ने हमारी मांगों व बातों को गंभीरता से नहीं लिया। जिसके कारण हमें प्रशासन के खिलाफ धरना प्रदर्शन करना पड़ा।

कॉलेज के मीडिया विभाग के छात्र अतुल ने बताया कि इस कॉलेज में पिछले 25 सालों से मीडिया की पढ़ाई हो रही है लेकिन अभी तक मीडिया जैसे विषय की जानकारी बिना लैब के दी जा रही है। पिछले कई सालों से कॉलेज को इसके बारे में बताया जा रहा है लेकिन कॉलेज प्रशासन व प्रोफ़ेसर इस पर कोई भी ध्यान नहीं देते है। अतुल ने बताया कि हम जब भी कही इंटर्नशिप के लिए जाते हैं तो हमारा वहां पर मज़ाक बनाया जाता है कि तुमने कॉलेज में क्या सीखा है।

ज्योग्राफी डिपार्टमेंट की छात्रा ज्योति ने बताया कि हमारे कोर्स में GIS नाम के सोफ्टवेयर की बहुत ज्यादा जरुरत पड़ती है। 20 लाख रुपए का ये सॉफ्टवेयर कॉलेज में पिछले तीन साल से लाकर रखा हुआ है लेकिन अपडेट की वजह से ये बंद पड़ा हुआ है। जिससे प्रैक्टिकल नॉलेज के नाम पर कुछ नहीं मिल रहा।

यूनियन के उपाध्यक्ष अक्षय नागर ने बताया कि पिछले साल मीडिया डिपार्टमेंट की छात्रा निशा के हाथ पर कॉलेज के पास बने फ़्लाईओवर के पास कुछ बाहरी लड़कों ने ब्लेड मार दी थी। जिसकी वजह से हमने कॉलेज को लड़कियों के लिए प्रोटेक्शन की मांग रखी थी। जिसको कॉलेज ने बहुत ही हल्के में ले लिया था।

अक्षय ने बताया कि कॉलेज में पिछले कई दिनों से पीने का बहुत ही गन्दा पानी आ रहा है, शौचालय बहुत ही गंदे पड़े रहते है, कंप्यूटर लैब में क्लासेस चलाई जाती है जिसकी वजह से स्टूडेंट्स लैब का इस्तेमाल नहीं कर पाते हैं, कॉलेज के ग्राउण्ड को किराये पर अकादमी वालो को दे दिया गया है जिसकी वजह से कॉलेज के स्टूडेंट्स उसका सही इस्तेमाल नहीं कर पाते हैं।

कॉलेज प्रशासन की तरफ से प्रिंसिपल जी. के. अरोरा ने सभी टीचिंग और नॉन टीचिंग स्टाफ के साथ कॉलेज के ऑडिटोरियम में सभी स्टूडेंट्स के सामने मीटिंग करी। प्रिंसिपल ने स्टूडेंट्स की सभी मांगों को मानते हुए अपनी व प्रशासन की गलतियों को भी माना है।

युवाशक्ति आज कल पूरी तरह से प्रशासन पर हावी होती दिख रही है। ये भविष्य के लिए बहुत ही शुभ संकेत हैं। आखिर कॉलेज के पास लड़किया सुरक्षित नहीं महसूस करेंगी तो बाहर किस कदर सुरक्षित महसूस करेंगी? आखिर बिना लैब के स्टूडेंट किस तरह मीडिया का सही अध्यन कर पाएंगे?

The post DU के भीमराव अम्बेडकर कॉलेज से अच्छी खबर appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

Debates, discussions, difference of opinions and discourses are the very cornerstones of a democratic structure and it is heart-wrenching to see when they are not welcome in a country which takes pride in calling itself the largest democracy in the world. Stifling dissent is the worst form of oppression because it takes away a person’s ability to think and question the status quo. Such oppression, where people are conditioned to stop questioning things and are conditioned to comply with authority in our educational culture as well, has been so normalised, that people have stopped realising that it even exists.

During the period from 2015-2017, India has witnessed an increasing number of cases of intolerance, including the mob lynching in Dadri, the bomb attack on the office of Tamil TV channel Puthiya Thalaimurai, beef ban in various states, arrest of JNU student leaders, and recently, the incident that took place at Ramjas College on February 21 and 22. Numerous students like me, who are in a habit of questioning things like the definition of nationality, the role of the state, the concept of morality, the effectiveness of a policy and finer nuances of gender and feminism, often tend to feel suffocated in an intolerant environment like this. However, it is in such a state that college societies, like literary societies or those dedicated to a social cause, provide us with a breathing room.

They are those very few liberal spaces where people can discuss and debate the most divergent and radical things without the fear of offending anyone or being beaten up. The importance of debate and discussion cannot be emphasised enough. It is crucial to discuss even those things which some privileged sections of society consider beyond the ambit of debate. Things like whether we should respect women or not, whether we should stand up when the National Anthem is being played, etc. Yes, you read that right! Campus Watch spoke to a few students and union members from some societies in different colleges which make active use of the tools of discussion and deliberation and act as a free space.

Tanisha Ranjit, general secretary (2016-17) of the English debating society in LSR, says – “You form the best of bonds with people you meet in societies, despite having strikingly different opinions on the same issues. Societies expose an individual to a variety of new thoughts, ideas and notions about life – including ideas that they might not have ever bothered questioning.” The first step to solving a problem is acknowledging that a problem exists. This isn’t the hard part. It becomes tough when a person begins to realise that the problem might lie within us and not outside us.

For the realisation to kick in, self-awareness, introspection and a deep understanding of how opinions get formed in our minds are needed. To change the society for the better, we need to let go of our own biases and challenge our beliefs. Often, the strongest of our beliefs have no basis in rationality and are simply a byproduct of the society we live in. Shubhi Chhabra, while articulating her experience as a core team member at Parivartan – the gender forum of Kirori Mal College, said, “societies like Parivartan lets you look at yourself in different perspectives, judge and gauge yourself in different ways and see how much of you is really you and how much of it is socially defined. Parivartan has been a place for me to be introduced to so many ideas that I would never have been introduced to otherwise.”

From my personal experience too, I can say that societies in my college have been my go-to place whenever I wanted to explore new ideas. As a former Kirori Mal College (KMC) debating society member, I can truly say that the experience of being a part of the society was truly extraordinary. The debating society has taught me to embrace diversity. I have learnt not just to accept people who are different from me, but to respect and admire them. Moreover, I often spend a lot of my college hours in the most popular hangout spot in KMC called ‘Sare-e-Aam‘ (an Urdu word meaning ‘in public’). What makes this place so special is that you can engage in debate and discussions there. It is a place where no one will stop you, judge you, or question your rationality and judgment. Students love that place, because, in a lot of ways, it liberates us and sets us free.

However, this is not to say that the journey to achieve freedom is an easy one. It is full of struggles and challenges. While societies are free and liberal spaces in this increasing time of intolerance, there is a certain kind of censorship still at play. Anuja, editor-in-chief (2016-17) of the LSR College Magazine, while talking about these challenges, says, “sometimes, we have been asked to stop working on something all of a sudden; but I am truly glad to be a part of something that helps people to think and bring important issues to the table for discussion. My co-chief eds and I, aim to create a platform where people can voice their opinions and reach a large audience.”

Yet, there is hope because people like her are in the leadership positions in certain college societies and are expected to contribute largely to the discourse in the near future. What is also important for the society to realise today is that when an opinion is suppressed, it doesn’t cease to exist. In fact, suppression of an opinion often leads to further radicalisation of opinions. A case in point will be the fight for freedom of academic institutes, which has recently gained momentum after the Ramjas incident.

To be free is a natural right which each and every human being has. However, we often tend to take our freedom for granted and forget its importance – until it is taken away from us. History is testimony to the fact that whenever there has been an attack on the liberty of individuals, the fight has been fierce. In this fight of reclaiming the freedom of our academic spaces, our right to dissent and of course, the freedom of speech and expression, some college societies are playing an active and integral role. They continue to uphold values of a liberal democracy and will continue to do so in the future.

Image used for representative purposes only.

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Image source: Sushil Kumar/ Hindustan Times via Getty Images

The post Among Reducing Liberal Spaces, How Some College Societies Stand Apart appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

By YKA Staff:

In India, students who identify as queer are at a higher risk of being bullied by fellow students, teachers, and administration members, posing a serious threat to their life and freedom. With the reinstatement of Section 377, things have only got much worse. We need to turn things around and make our campuses more inclusive of queer students. Very little is said about having support groups, queer-friendly events and professional counselling on campuses in India, but nurturing these conversations is crucial to ensure the safety and inclusion of queer students. To spark the conversation, YKA joined hands with feminist human rights organisation CREA  to advocate for safety and inclusion in Indian educational institutions so students can be  #QueerWithoutFear.

 As part of this campaign, YKA and CREA hosted a Twitter chat on 2nd March, from 4- 5 pm. The chat saw participation from queer students, student activists, LGBTQ+ support groups and magazines, among many others, who contributed a wealth of information. For those who missed it, here are the most important lessons that we took away from the chat:

 On Awareness About Gender/ Sexuality In Early And Higher Education

 Question: In school/ college, were you aware that you had classmates who identified as queer?

 “In school – hell no. This was Dubai, if people knew you were queer, it could land you in serious trouble.” – Edwin Thomas, Writer and Alumnus – Christ University

 “School was particularly bad because it was a far more conservative environment with no conversation about these issues. But my liberal arts college was far more interesting. Interacting with fellow queer students helped me understand my sexuality.” – Rohini, Feminist Writer

 “Haha! I was, and I wasn’t aware. So not sure about others. but think mostly being ‘homo’ was associated with mannerisms and hand gestures. Years later, I found out that some of my classmates were gay.” – Dhrubo Jyoti

@YouthKiAwaaz Very much aware but very discreet. We used to meet up at secluded places at odd hours to chit chat!

— Harsh Agarwal (@Harsh7agl) March 2, 2017

On Safety For LGBTQ Students In College And University Campuses

 Question: Having moved out of schools, how safe would you say your colleges were/are for LGBTQ+ students?

 “I will be very honest to admit that my college in DU never even discussed these issues.” – Prashant Kumar Jha, Hindi Features Writer at Youth Ki Awaaz

 “We had nobody from the trans community. LGB people passed for straight. So, there was no violence. And classmates giggled in case you openly expressed your sexuality. But being openly queer also made thinking people understand. That effort was entirely [the students’] though.” – Abhishek Jha, Features Writer at Youth Ki Awaaz

 “Even within college campuses, some courses offer a safer space than others. say, women’s studies programmes.” – Vani Vishwanathan, Feminist Writer, Editor of Spark (Online Literature Magazine)

 On What Campuses Can Do To Make The Environment More Inclusive Of LGBT+ Students

 Question: Following from your student experiences, what should be top priority for institutions to be supportive of LGBT+ students?

 “There needs to be some sensitization for many teachers and students. Many trans friends still find it difficult to deal with the jokes and hostility in universities.” – Dhrubo Jyoti

@YouthKiAwaaz Obligatory sex and gender course in the first year of college. #QueerWithoutFear

— Luisa María (@lumcardona) March 2, 2017

 “For starters, college campuses must have a provision in all forms for people to identify the way they want.” – Nikita Lamba, journalist

 “Invite queer allies who are popular amongst college students, for events. People like Piyush Mishra.” – Sourodipto Sanyal, Sub-Editor at Youth Ki Awaaz

 “Create a safe space program to increase visibility of queer students and create a sense of belonging for them.” – Asexuality India, Online Space for Asexual Community

 “बच्चों से पहले यूनीवर्सिटी में शिक्षकों को भी LGBT+ समुदाय और उनके हकों के बारे में बताना होगा उन्हें ट्रेन करना होगा। सबसे पहले शिक्षकों को LGBT+ समुदाय और उनके हक के बारे में बताना होगा, उन्हें ट्रेन करना होगा। (Before students, university staff also needs awareness and training about issues faced by LGBT+ community and its rights)” – Prashant Kumar Jha

 “Have a body set up which looks into problems faced by queer students as well as any harassment.” – Runa Chatterjee, Sub Editor at Youth Ki Awaaz

 “Use pronouns such as ze/they – not her/him by default. Look for examples or case studies that highlight diverse sexualities and  gender.” – TARSHI, Non-Government Organisation

 “How about a mandatory queer film fest where we normalise the idea of ‘different’ people through stories!” – Vani Vishwanathan

 On The Role Teachers And Counsellors (Can) Play To Make Campuses More Supportive

 Question: Our next question is about teachers and counsellors – what role can they play in helping students who identify as queer?

 “As teachers, we have to let students know they can trust us, we won’t judge them. Keep that door open, where they can come to you with anything. Support, offer guidance, offer to just listen. Teachers need teach acceptance, less judgement etc.” – Sabbah Haji, Director at Haji Public School in Breswana, Himalayan Jammu Kashmir

 “I want teachers to make it a practice to upgrade the language they use in the classroom. Don’t alienate queer kids, use gender neutral language, respect pronouns, don’t assume your students are cis/straight!!” – Shambhavi Saxena, Features Writer at Youth Ki Awaaz

 “Collaborate with external organisations & community groups & enable students to meet new people and help identify themselves.” – Asexuality India

 “Teachers can play a decisive role by being aware of bullies who pick on vulnerable students. Queer/trans/disabled kids need to be encouraged to speak out. Also, teachers and counsellors can raise awareness on gender/race/language issues.” – Depressed Devil

 On The Role Parents (Can) Play To Make LGBT+ Students More Comfortable

 Question: Education begins at home. What advice can you give to parents of kids who don’t fit the gender or sexuality ‘norm’?

 “Accept them. That’s what every child needs. I was unfortunate not to be accepted and it leaves a void. Parents need to for a moment think about their child and not what society may say. For all of our sakes not to call this a PHASE and give a recommendation of a psychiatrist who could help.” – Ananya Raju

@youthkiawaaz that binaries exist in mathematics, not in gender and biology ☺

— Depressed Devil (@firingouty) March 2, 2017

“Parents should first be aware of restrictive gender stereotypes and what impact these had on THEIR life could help them understand how pushing these norms to children will adversely affect them.” – TARSHI

 “Suggest them to read on both the struggles and the triumphs of fellow queer folk to know how hard it can be but doesn’t have to. Educate themselves to know it’s not the end of the world.” – Indian Aces, Online Space for Indian Asexual Community

 “I think read and educate the same way we read up about baby care and child foods and illnesses. Parents can be supportive without having to do much for queer kids and in most cases, just talking and listening helps.” – Dhrubo Jyoti

 On Expectations From Administration And Peers On Campus

 Question: What kind of support would you like to see for LGBTQ+ collectives from administration as well as peers?

 “To appoint a well-trained counsellor to begin – a first line of support. Hold workshops to sensitize the management. Consider how mental health of a student can be impacted and how mental health is just as important as physical health.” – Harsh Agarwal

 “Information is a great defence against bigotry.” – Asexuality India

 “Make a support group including teachers, students & college administration which will sensitize students about queer students. Also, try to make others aware instead of ignoring topic.” – Simply Me

 On Experiences With LGBT+ Collectives On Campuses

 Question: Those with gay-straight alliances or LGBTQ+ collectives on campus, tell us about them!

 “There are many but because of rotation of students, they die out & become inactive. We need to create new leaders before we leave.” – Harsh Agarwal

 “I think they are often like breathing spaces for many of us who cannot afford to be queer otherwise but many campus collectives are also very difficult to maintain and stressful for managing members.” – Dhrubo Jyoti

 As you can see, the chat saw many interesting responses that opened up the discussion around LGBT+ safety on campuses to new avenues. We saw over a hundred responses and created over 1 million Twitter impressions, reaching over 93,000 Twitter accounts in all. A good first step? We think so!

 If you are actively involved in the queer collective at your university, an educator in support of the LGBTQ+ movement or would simply like to share your perspectives around inclusiveness, we’d love to hear from you. Write In with your campus stories along with the hashtag #QueerWithoutFear, and join us in driving this important conversation forward.

The post ‘Don’t Assume Your Students Are Straight!’: How Campuses Can Support Queer Students appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

Bargarh district in Odisha is a paddy producing district and is close to our university. Paddy farming is labour intensive. Paddy needs to be transplanted. It is a very tedious task and causes various ailments to farmers. We – Pranay Panda, Ranjan Panda, Tatwamsiddha Nanda, Rahul Kumar Nayak, Sohan Roy (all from B.Tech second year mechanical engineering) – decided from the beginning that we would take part in our innovative project for the well-being of farmers.

We met with some 30 farmers from Bargarh and Sambalpur district and thought of a solution. The motorised paddy planting machine available in the market is expensive. This triggered us to come up with a low-cost hand-operated paddy transplanting machine which could be used by a farmer belonging to any income group. We were guided by the faculty advisor of Idea Club, Prof. Bandan Kumar Bhoi and the mentor for the project, Bodhisattwa Sanghapriya (a third-year student from electrical and electronics engineering ), who is among the regular innovators in our university.

The technique of shifting one plant to another location is called transplanting. At first, the farmers sow rice in a nursery, and after 15 to 20 days, it grows up to the size of two to three inches, after which they are transplanted to the fields. The farmers plant the saplings in a bunch, row-wise. However, this is a very labour-intensive job. Farmers plant the saplings bending down, which causes various ailments like back pain, spondylitis. It is very costly for a farmer to hire labour for such jobs.

We, the students of Idea and Innovation Cell, Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (formerly UCE) Burla, Odisha, have developed a hand-operated rice transplanter, which is a solution to the above problem. It is lightweight and is easy to use. The machine is operated by a pedal and powered by hands. Since it is hand operated, it has very low maintenance, unlike the motor-driven alternatives which require proper maintenance and have a recurring cost of fuels (petrol and diesel).

The parts are made from scrap materials which can be easily and readily obtained from any bicycle shop. Scrap materials like iron strips, iron rods, bearings, bicycle chains, steel plates, etc. It took three months to design and develop the machine and cost us only ₹1500. However, if more machines are manufactured in mass, the production cost will significantly reduce.

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Images provided by author.

The post How We Invented A Low-Cost Solution To Help Odisha’s Farmers Get Better Prices appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

On March 1, 2017, the Techno India University was rocked with controversy. A fourth-year B.Tech. student, along with some of his friends, had assaulted a dancer who had visited the campus to participate in a fest. The details of the assault were unknown to most students and the public, till a few persons started posting about it on social media and demanded justice for the artist.

Now, two controversies surrounded the demands made. Firstly, those demanding justice mistook Techno India University for Techno India College. While both institutes conduct their classes in the same campus, they are totally unrelated to each other. Secondly, these people equated every student of the university with those who had committed the heinous offence.

As a student of this university, I would state that we, as students, never support any atrocity – no matter who commits it. If you are wrong, you are wrong. We never support violence of any kind within the campus.

Having said this, the reality of the situation needs to be stated. Most students of this university pay a hefty donation in the name of ‘management quota’. Consequently, the authorities are often incapable of taking any strict actions against these students. When you are paying double of what you are expected to, you will obviously expect a certain degree of unhindered privilege. And this is exactly what has happened in this case.

In the past, our campus has witnessed several strikes and violent incidents related to issues such as conducting ‘written examinations’ instead of ‘objective type examinations’ online and demanding for better campus placements. Those in the know would be aware that before the examinations, all suggestions are uploaded in the learning management system (LMS) or are distributed by teachers, so that the chances of failure are minimal. The average score obtained by a student here is around 6.5, while the highest is around 9.7.

Despite all this, the students are finding it difficult to secure a job via campus placements. The sole reason for this failure is that a majority of these students are ‘qualified’ only when it comes to their exam scores. This has, in turn, contributed to their frustration with the system of education here.

They have come to believe that the management is at fault for their failure to get a job. On the other hand, the management fails to take any strict action against the students when needed. The students therefore feel that they can do whatever they like without suffering the consequences of the act. Whatever happened on March 1, 2017, wasn’t an isolated incident. It was a result of the continuing inability of the college management, the sense of unnecessary entitlement among the students and the spoilt and megalomaniac nature of the rich and the affluent students.

What they did is highly condemnable. I condemn it and demand strict disciplinary actions against the persons responsible. It is high time that the authorities wake up now. If they fail to intervene now, Techno India University will become a lost cause. It will turn into a factory of goons who would do anything and everything without facing any consequences – a paradise of ‘goondaraj (hooliganism)’ and coercion. I stand in solidarity with the victim and distance myself from such acts of violence and its perpetrators.

However, I must say one thing – please do not judge us collectively based on the conduct of only a few people. They do not define or represent the majority of us. ‘They’ aren’t who ‘we’ are. Nor do they represent students in other institutes under the Techno India group.

The post Why Are A Few Students Of Techno India University Resorting To Assault And Violence? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

I am a student of Delhi University. I am not a member of any union. I have never stood up for any political post. Yet, I am forced to write this article using a fake name because I am afraid that I will be thrashed, threatened or even abducted if I disclose my real identity.

I have been studying in DU for the last five years, but I have never seen the kind of violence which occurred last week. I saw women being dragged by their hair on the road. I saw eight to ten policemen beating a single student who was too scared to ask for help. I also saw some students chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai‘ and assaulting random people passing by on the streets.

I have never witnessed a riot or a terror attack in my life, but the Ramjas attack is the closest thing I ever wish to experience. Later on, I got to know that all my friends had gone through similar things. Two of my female friends were chased by 20 Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members with bats and hockey sticks all the way to their home. When they went to the Maurice Nagar police station to register an FIR, they were lathicharged. Later on, they were detained.

However, it wasn’t the fear or police inaction which broke my heart. What terrorised me was how our nation distorted the whole event.

The molesters, stone pelters and the rioters were hailed as nationalists. The students who were beaten, molested and detained, were accused of being anti-nationals by default. What was their crime? It changed with every change of channel. Sometimes they chanted ‘anti-India’ slogans of azaadi (freedom). Sometimes, they were criminals as they were All India Students’ Association (AISA) activists from Jawaharlal Nehru University. Sometimes, Umar Khalid was used as a justification.

We, the students, the sufferers and the citizens of India were erased with labels and lies. We won’t take it anymore.

This riot which occurred last week was not about Umar Khalid. He never even set foot on the campus. His event was cancelled long before the violence started.

This riot was not a petty ‘clash’ between ABVP and AISA, since random students on the street, the professors and media persons were also brutally assaulted. Moreover, most of the violence was done by one party.

Lastly, we will not allow this riot to be justified under the garb of nationalism and a fake love for the country.

Stone pelting a seminar doesn’t make you a nationalist. Molesting girls on streets cannot be nationalism. Strangling your own professors doesn’t make you a desh bhakt (devotee of a country). It only makes you a psychopath.

The students of DU or any other university don’t need any certificate from a group of organisations, whose members have grave allegations of having spied for the ISI, of being involved in child trafficking and sex rackets and have been convicted for a bomb attack.

You, your parishad (organisation) and your parivar (family) accuse us of chanting azaadi. You call azaadi anti-Indian. How can freedom, one of our core values enshrined in our preamble, be against our country?

No one wanted azaadi from India. Every Indian citizen wanted azaadi in India.

Except for you. You ban plays, censor movies, beat up artists and stone pelt our constitution. Azaadi might be against ABVP, RSS and BJP, since you only want gulami (slavery). Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is not India and it’s time you remember it.

Your gang asks us to shut up and study. How can one study amidst stone pelting, rape threats, molestation and violence? Your parishad asks us to stop protesting and go back home. However, how can we not protest when you are choking our constitution, our rights and our democracy?

This protest is against black being called white, and white being called black. This protest is against the truth being peddled as lies and lies being peddled as true. This protest is against calling citizens who stand with the Constitution as ‘anti-India’ and people who pelt stones at it, as nationalists.

Some people have started a new fashion trend where random ministers are distributing certificates of patriotism to Indian citizens according to the party’s convenience. If you lick their toes, then you are a nationalist. If you don’t, you have betrayed the nation.

We want to tell them that there is only one Indian nationalism. The one defined in our preamble. If you stand with it, then you are a nationalist. If you don’t, then you can find a country with a Constitution, which suits your violence and your jingoism.

Our tricolour was seen in marches organised by both the ABVP and Save DU Campaign. The difference between them was that the former used it as an empty shield to hide their crimes, while the latter stood by it and vowed to protect what it actually symbolised.

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Image source: Raj K Raj/ Hindustan Times via Getty Images

The post Why Saving DU Is Also About Saving India appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

Colleges and schools in India have been slowly moving away from the idea that bullying, or “ragging” is an inevitable rite of passage that every student goes through. Reports of harassment and discrimination on the basis of non-normative gender and sexuality are extremely common, which is all the more reason pushing for campuses to be safe spaces for LGBTQI+ students is an issue of rising importance.

A huge part of the responsibility rests on the shoulders of the institution itself. So what are various practices that can be adopted to make an institution friendly/welcoming to LGBTQI+ students? Here are some of the best practices from around the world that can be implemented in Indian schools and colleges to make them more LGBTQI+ friendly spaces:

1. Be Welcoming

Going from high school to college is always a rough change, so it would be a great idea to create a support group that focuses on LGTBQI+ first years and helps them go through this transition. A huge plus from doing so, is building a strong and long-lasting community that renews itself each year.

Some universities are already doing this, and doing it well. UCLA hosts an annual event for first years called “Cookies and Queers”, Cornell University has its own LGBTQ+ First Year Group, and Syracuse University offers a LGBT First Year Forum Class. The University of Maryland has a proven efficiency program called “The One Project”, which has also won various awards.

2. Be Accessible

A great idea for reaching out to the LGTBIQ+ community at your college is to create a virtual platform in which you can include online resources, social events reminders, educational presentations, reading lists, or even an online chat room. Online resources are not only available for plenty of students, but it gives conviviality and anonymity for people who feel more comfortable having these options.

USC’s LGBT Resource Center, Ithaca College’s Center for LGBT Education, Outreach, and Services, and Princeton’s LGBT Center are great examples of this kind of initiatives.

3. Be Inclusive

4. Build Inclusive Infrastructure

In the last few years, an increasing number of transgender students have been enrolling in colleges. More colleges, like Delhi University are introducing third gender options in their application forms to be more inclusive. But this is also a concern, because the institution needs to be adequately prepared to handle the needs of the students.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) in India came out with a circular in 2014 in which it recommended that all universities build transgender friendly infrastructure such as washrooms, working to sensitise students to the issues faced by the community and spread awareness.

5. Get Educated

6. Let It Out

Creating an LGBTIQ+ publication in your college gives you the space to gather educational information, opinion articles, and entertainment – all in one place! Plus, this can grasp the attention of the queer and non-queer community. This can not only be a space for deeper discourse on gender and sexuality, but can also become a platform where people share their own personal experiences and narratives.

The University of Pennsylvania has a campus publication for the queer community called the “Colors Project”.

7. Map It Out

As part of the diagnosis of intolerance and bullying on your campus, it is very important to start a dialogue around it. Mapping out bullying zones is one way to do this. Print out a bunch of maps of your campus and hand it out to students so they mark out the zones where they have been harassed or have seen other people be harassed. Then construct a bigger map that gathers all the information, and make it visible for the entire community.

Not In Our Town has a great guide to map bullying zone which you can access here.

8. Start Organising

If a student-run support system doesn’t already exist in your college, it’s time to help the LGBTQI+ community come together and get organised. If one already exists, your institution should provide as much support as it possibly can. Helping start and run campaigns, providing secure spaces for discussions, marches and events, and helping the community build its own identity are some things an institution can really contribute towards. Setting up a college-recognised anti-bullying committee is also a great way to let students take charge.

Not In Our Town has created a quick – start guide to launch an anti – bullying campaign that you can access here.

9. Involve Teachers

A student’s experience at an educational institution is majorly shaped by teachers. They are the ones who educate, inspire and set an example. It’s important to train teachers and professors to be allies to the queer community, be approachable and sensitive, and be someone students can rely on in tough times. Teachers might even take an active interest in campaigns or queer groups – you may be surprised at how helpful they can be. You could create stickers or banners stating “This is an LGBTQI+ safe place” and hand them out for teachers to keep in their work space, this way students are able to identify safe spaces on campus.

10. Make It Fun!

The post Indian Colleges Are Not Safe For LGBTQ+ Students. Here Are 10 Ways We Can Change That appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.