WHY VIOLENCE IN JNU

By Kumar Raajesh

This write up was triggered by a query from a dear friend of mine on the JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) violence of 5th January 2020 and the JNUSU (JNU Students Union)protests that followed. She mentioned in her WhatsApp ping: “It’s really sad …but seeing these younger generation from diverse faiths marching together arm in arm …means something is wrong and has to be corrected in a Peaceful manner…..”

To this I replied: The issue is more complicated than what you see when you mention – “these younger generation from diverse faiths marching together arm in arm” … There is an equally big chunk of younger generation, if not bigger, (and also a big section of society that voted Modi to power) which firmly believes that there is nothing wrong in CAA, NPR or NRC. In fact they think that the CAA, NCR & NPR are corrections that must be done to correct the wrongs done in the country in the name of “minority appeasement” since independence. It is not an isolated incident, as there is a background to this violence in JNU that evening.

JNU has been a fortress of Left oriented students wings – SFI, AISF, AISA etc. (with affiliations to CPM, CPI and the Naxalites respectively). Student wing affiliated to BJP/RSS, the ABVP is a tiny minority in JNU. Delhi University (DU) reflects its opposite. Resultantly, there was no protests against CAA & NRC in DU, while violent protests were there in Jamia Milia Islamia University & JNU. Incidentally, number of Students in DU is many-many times more that both Jamia & JNU put together. I have spent equal time – nearly 5 years each – in both DU & JNU so what I am sharing here is based on my first hand experience.

As a matter of fact, ABVP could be easily be pushed around in JNU and could do nothing but bear the ‘bossism’ of the Left helplessly … till the pent up anger erupted in ugly violence last Sunday, the 5th January. First a bit about the ‘masks’ that are in the eyes of the storm. Using masks for hiding their illegal acts, despite huge majority, was something that the Left student wings or their sympathisers have been doing for past few years, and they just got the bitter taste of their own medicine last Sunday.

A couple of contexts, one immediate and the other of 2016 will bring more clarity.

First the 2016 context:

On 9th February 2016 the JNUSU, obviously dominated by the left (Kanhaiya Kumar was the JNUSU president then), wether directly or indirectly, organised a function in JNU to mark the hanging of Afzal Guru, who was hanged on 9th February 2013. Afzal Guru, we must remember, was sentenced to death for attacking Indian Parliament in 2001. It was clear that shouting slogans like – “अफ़ज़ल हम शर्मिन्दा हैं, तेरे क़ातिल ज़िन्दा हैं“ or “भारत तेरे टुकड़े होंगे, इंशाल्लाह-अल्लाह इंशा-अल्लाह“ were not only illegal but also anti-national! So what did they do? Around 6-7 of those who were leading this sloganeering were masked! I had seen masks for the first time in JNU then. Till date police has not been able to trace who those 6-7 students were?! Yet, it is also true that neither could it be proved that it was Kanhaiya Kumar himself shouting those slogans, though he was present there for sure.

Now the immediate context (1st to 5th January 2020):
JNUSU, dominated by the Left Students Wing were opposing the Semester Registration while ABVP was supporting it. Naturally, 100 Students can easily push and shove the 10 Students, so ABVP didn’t stand a chance. Then the JNU administration made the Registration process online, so that the students didn’t need to physically come to the office. Yet again, it would be illegal if the students physically damaged the Server Room of JNU, so again masks were used. On 2nd and 3rd January around 10 masked students/goons damaged the JNU Server Room in their efforts to stop the online Registration process. Living up to the task, the JNU administration continued the Registration with the help of security guards and police on 4th and 5th January. By 5th afternoon, the JNUSU was desperate as they couldn’t stop the Registration. On 5th forenoon, emboldened by the presence of police and the security guards the ABVP students came face to face with JNUSU when the latter again tried to stop Registration. This time the ABVP resisted stubbornly and couldn’t be pushed around by the JNUSU like earlier, which made the latter very upset and angry … and they decided to teach the ABVP a strong lesson! It is well know that most of the ABVP cadres stay in Periyar Hostel at JNU. Again masks were used. Around 4.30 pm on 5th January the JNUSU president put a mask on her face, and along with some more bunch of masked Left wings students, entered Periyar Hostel. Armed with sticks & lathis they started beating all ABVP students who came their way. There are pictures of this attack as well, which police used to identify the JNUSU president with.

That was the proverbial last straw on the camels back for the ABVP. This time they also planned a retaliatory attack, but as they are a tiny minority in JNU, they sought help from outside as well, specially DU … what followed around 7pm the same evening is already very well known, as that is precisely what majority of the media and the world is primarily focusing on and highlighting!!!!!

May I add, hurriedly before I end, that I am not supporting violence from either side, but simply putting things in perspective.