Opinion: JNU is in the news from last few days due to the students agitation over the steep rise in fees .The
increase in fees is directly related with the pockets of the students and hence the agitation is
understandable .Student movements have a great role in the societal , cultural and even economic
and political stability of a country particularly in a democracy .It has been seen that students
movements have a transformative and revolutionary power in the global history .One can say that
students should not indulge themselves in political activities ,but then we cannot shut the doors of
politics and political activities to the student community .In our country too students have played
an important role in the freedom struggle and have involved themselves in political activities. There
are left wing and right wing student organizations in JNU campus and other varsities and thus there
is much influence of politics on the students and their agitations .Student movements have
overturned regimes in different parts of the world and thus we cannot ignore or underestimate the
power of the student unions. In present case JNU students are agitating against the steep rise in fees
and the students anger against 300 percent rise in fee is understandable as it is astronomical and in
sensitive move. But it is disturbing and unfortunate that government tried to quell the student
uprising with force.JNU students were lathi charged and not allowed to march to the parliament to
protest the hike in fee. The police lathi charge on the JNU students and on blind students is
shameful and should not have been done .Government is underestimating the student power and
this is the root of the problem .Government should have negotiated the fee hike reasonably but it
used the unnecessary force to silence the students dissent and this complicated the problem .The
authorities used the brutal force of police to stop the JNU students march to parliament and this
gave a fresh lease of life to the students protest. Cracking down the students have emboldened them
further and they are protesting with great vigor .The row over fee hike has taken a back seat due to
the use of force against students and now lathi charge on the students has taken a centre stage .The
student organization has not accepted the hurriedly announced partial roll back of the fee hike .It is
a fact that the student organization sponsoring the protest is left oriented and it wants to score
points with right wing ABVP which is perceived to be the following the program of the
saffronisation in the university campus .Students are up in arms against the central rulers because
they like to oppose the BJP led NDA government. It is heartening that the negotiations were held
between student leaders and the HRD ministry and it is hoped that something positive will come
out from the meeting, however the VC of the JNU has not participated in the talks .The Modi
government has overlooked the practicality of raising fees and used it to suppress the left leaning
student movement .It amounts to maligning university that bears the name of first prime Minister
.Negotiations should have taken care of the students fee hike in the first instance but it was not and
this mishandling lead to the problem .The suddenness of the fee hike was clearly meant to provoke
the students and make them look like perennial trouble makers who need to be taught a lesson.
There is a record that JNU has been providing education to the poor students who cannot afford
education in the prestigious institutions in the country .It should be accepted that steep rise in fees
after 19 long years is an injustice to the students when not executed reasonably .No consultations
were made with the management council and with the student leaders and other stakeholders
before announcing the fees hike. Saffronisation of education being a part of the plan of the
government .But then there are no takers of insulting the saint philosopher Swami Vivekananda's
statute which is the youth icon and ideal. Such unholy acts bring disrepute to the student
community and this institution of repute and it should not have happened .It reflects on the narrow
mind and knowledge of the students about our role models and ideals .Whatever it is the powers
should enlarge the scope of the negotiations and find an amicable solution of the fees problem and
also ensure punishment to the police men who have used excessive force on the students more so
on the blind students. It is every body’s knowledge that JNU campus has become a hub of anti-
national activities where such activities are taking place from last some years and on such activities
eagle’s eye should be kept. The political parties should not shield the anti-national activities under
the garb of student freedom and human rights. It is very unfortunate that this institute of high
standards and excellence is becoming a centre of anti-national activities and such activities should
be curbed in the larger interests of the nation.
Credits: Omkar Dattatray
(The writer is a retired education officer and columnist)
Note:- Views expressed are personal that of Author no edits have been made in this opinion piece.
