Is JNU the new Ram Temple?

The Indian government�s latest diktat to fly the national flag in all Central Universities in the country got more support than was expected

The government has made it mandatory for central universities across the country to fly the national flag. The government has said the tricolour should be installed on a 207-foot mast. Interestingly the weight of the flag was also specified. Initial reports suggested that the HRD ministry had made it mandatory for the flag to weigh 135Kgs. However there is some discrepancy in the figures. Uncon­firmed reports stated that the ministry had put the weight to 35 kilograms. Others have put it to 125 kg.
The move comes close on the heels of the Government receiving flak for its mishandling the unrest in the Jawaharlal Nehru University, wherein it clamped sedition charges on JNU students union President Kanhaiya Kumar.
Kumar was arrested on February 12 following an ABVP complaint that he had made statements that amounted to sedition. The ABVP, or the  Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad is a student wing that works in tandem with the BJP.
Consequently the diktat to Universities to fly the national flag has, however, raised suspicion about the Government’s nervousness following the furore in the JNU University where students allegedly raised anti India slogans.
While the move has been dubbed as one to evoke patriotism in people, the question being asked is: Is India in danger? Is its nationalism in question? Are anti Indian elements laying siege? Is the Government resorting to symbolism simply because of it has failed to  quell dissent?
While there can be no dispute about the decision to have the flag flying in universities, there is a danger of dilution simply because the idea stems from protests.
Also given that the move is a diktat than sentiment, there are possibilities of students mocking at the flag rather than saluting it. Neither governments nor university authorities can ensure that the respect due to the national flag is accorded even if it ensures that its keeps flying high.
There is yet another danger: of students carrying other flags maybe lesser in weight and height in a “flag versus flag” move. Were that to happen, the Government would willy-nilly have brought the national flag in the realm of controversy.
As of now, there is visible support at least in the social media about the government’s latest move. Whether warring students endorse this or not, once the flag is hoisted remains to be seen; or whether the  Government succeeds in evoking nationalistic sentiments in campuses: the stated purpose behind the flag-move.  
The genesis of the crisis lies in an event that took an unprecedented turn at the Jawaharlal University, more popular as the JNU. It is a Central University that has often been in the eye of a storm. It has a strong left centric students presence.
 It started with students organizing an event a day after Afzal Guru’s third death anniversary. Afzal Guru, who was hanged in 2013, was the mastermind behind the attack on Indian Parliament in 2001.
Posters were pasted across the campus asking students to gather for a protest march against “judicial killing of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat” and in solidarity with the “struggle” of Kashmiri migrants.
The ABVP was up in arms and demanded expulsion of the organisers. They alleged that students were shouting anti-India slogans. The students refuted the charge. The Police swung into action on grounds that when India’s unity and integrity comes under attack, the guilty cannot be spared. A video capturing students raising anti India slogans went viral.  There were allegations about the students being backed by Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed. The Police arrested Kanhaiya  Kumar and slapped sedition charges against him. He is languishing in jail even while his bail plea is pending in court.
Events took an ugly turn when he along with media persons was roughed up in the court premises by a mob wearing lawyers’ robes. Both journalists and students bore the brunt of the violence while the police remained mute spectators. In fact it is this that gives credence to the charge that the Police were under instructions not to intervene. The assaulters included a BJP legislator and some others who owe allegiance to the ruling party.
This is not the first time that the JNU is in the centre of a controversy. It has often been, but this time around, the situation seems to be more serious than before. This is also not the first time that a cultural evening has been organized on its premises except that this particular one turned out to be one where the government’s role came under scrutiny. However, this does not absolve the student community of its actions particularly if the academic space becomes a hot bed for anti India activities. If the last is true then any Government worth its salt should move in swiftly. But if the charges are incorrect or exaggerated, as is the perception in the present controversy, then the Government has a lot to answer.
 The truth perhaps lies between the two: the students triggered an anti national wave by eulogizing Afzal Guru. As against this, the Government not only overreacted by slapping sedition charges against JNU president but also gave a silent sanction to its minions, be it ABVP or the so-called lawyers in a lower court to attack the students and media persons. Irrespective of the Government’s direct involvement it is a fact that since the BJP has assumed power the lumpen elements have been emboldened and have taken law into their hands.  
As for the video where anti India slogans were heard, it is reported to be doctored. While some allege that there is clinching proof against the students, another video has surfaced where the chant is azadi but it is azadi from casteism, feudalism among others. In the first video for which Kanhaiya has been booked is seeking azadi for Kashmir.
In the vitiating atmosphere nothing can be ruled out: neither the possibility of students raising the anti national pitch given their leftist leanings nor the government’s intent to quell movements that do not subscribe to their Hindu leanings. The RSS has always eyed academic institutions and has a game-plan in place. Consequently, to say that the BJP’s hands are clean in current developments is a bit of a stretch. The unprovoked attack on the media is evidence that the party in power has little tolerance for dissent and would think nothing of unleashing its hooligans on anyone who dares oppose it.
This is not to say that it is necessary to paint the Government black. Its intent to oppose anti nationalistic activities has support; its intent to suppress elements from across the border to initiate students into divisive activities has many takers. It is not a mere coincidence that the Jadavpur University students also took to the streets following the JNU protests. There is, in all likelihood, a larger pattern: not new but one that the BJP has decided to crush, against the policy of past governments of looking the other way. On this the country would perhaps stand by the BJP.
What it would not accept is the BJP’s failure to contain its lumpen elements that can attack media in a courtroom right under the glare of the cops. The BJP can be accused of a larger game plan like the masterminds  behind University protests: JNU first and Jadavpur a day later.  The motives are diametrically opposite but a blue-print  is certainly and visibly in place.  
 Years ago, the Ram temple movement had stirred passions. For the young Indian, the nation symbolism  works better than religion. Is there, therefore, a sinister design to whip nationalistic fervor on the lines of the communal divide of the nineties? In other words, is JNU the new Ram temple?
The writer is a senior Indian
journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected])

Is JNU the new Ram Temple?

The Indian government�s latest diktat to fly the national flag in all Central Universities in the country got more support than was expected

The government has made it mandatory for central universities across the country to fly the national flag. The government has said the tricolour should be installed on a 207-foot mast. Interestingly the weight of the flag was also specified. Initial reports suggested that the HRD ministry had made it mandatory for the flag to weigh 135Kgs. However there is some discrepancy in the figures. Unconfirmed reports stated that the ministry had put the weight to 35 kilograms. Others have put it to 125 kg. The move comes close on the heels of the Government receiving flak for its mishandling the unrest in the Jawaharlal Nehru University, wherein it clamped sedition charges on JNU students union President Kanhaiya Kumar. Kumar was arrested on February 12 following an ABVP complaint that he had made statements that amounted to sedition. The ABVP, or the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad is a student wing that works in tandem with the BJP. Consequently the diktat to Universities to fly the national flag has, however, raised suspicion about the Governments nervousness following the furore in the JNU University where students allegedly raised anti India slogans. While the move has been dubbed as one to evoke patriotism in people, the question being asked is: Is India in danger? Is its nationalism in question? Are anti Indian elements laying siege? Is the Government resorting to symbolism simply because of it has failed to quell dissent? While there can be no dispute about the decision to have the flag flying in universities, there is a danger of dilution simply because the idea stems from protests. Also given that the move is a diktat than sentiment, there are possibilities of students mocking at the flag rather than saluting it. Neither governments nor university authorities can ensure that the respect due to the national flag is accorded even if it ensures that its keeps flying high. There is yet another danger: of students carrying other flags maybe lesser in weight and height in a flag versus flag move. Were that to happen, the Government would willy-nilly have brought the national flag in the realm of controversy. As of now, there is visible support at least in the social media about the governments latest move. Whether warring students endorse this or not, once the flag is hoisted remains to be seen; or whether the Government succeeds in evoking nationalistic sentiments in campuses: the stated purpose behind the flag-move. The genesis of the crisis lies in an event that took an unprecedented turn at the Jawaharlal University, more popular as the JNU. It is a Central University that has often been in the eye of a storm. It has a strong left centric students presence. It started with students organizing an event a day after Afzal Gurus third death anniversary. Afzal Guru, who was hanged in 2013, was the mastermind behind the attack on Indian Parliament in 2001. Posters were pasted across the campus asking students to gather for a protest march against judicial killing of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat and in solidarity with the struggle of Kashmiri migrants. The ABVP was up in arms and demanded expulsion of the organisers. They alleged that students were shouting anti-India slogans. The students refuted the charge. The Police swung into action on grounds that when Indias unity and integrity comes under attack, the guilty cannot be spared. A video capturing students raising anti India slogans went viral. There were allegations about the students being backed by Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed. The Police arrested Kanhaiya Kumar and slapped sedition charges against him. He is languishing in jail even while his bail plea is pending in court. Events took an ugly turn when he along with media persons was roughed up in the court premises by a mob wearing lawyers robes. Both journalists and students bore the brunt of the violence while the police remained mute spectators. In fact it is this that gives credence to the charge that the Police were under instructions not to intervene. The assaulters included a BJP legislator and some others who owe allegiance to the ruling party. This is not the first time that the JNU is in the centre of a controversy. It has often been, but this time around, the situation seems to be more serious than before. This is also not the first time that a cultural evening has been organized on its premises except that this particular one turned out to be one where the governments role came under scrutiny. However, this does not absolve the student community of its actions particularly if the academic space becomes a hot bed for anti India activities. If the last is true then any Government worth its salt should move in swiftly. But if the charges are incorrect or exaggerated, as is the perception in the present controversy, then the Government has a lot to answer. The truth perhaps lies between the two: the students triggered an anti national wave by eulogizing Afzal Guru. As against this, the Government not only overreacted by slapping sedition charges against JNU president but also gave a silent sanction to its minions, be it ABVP or the so-called lawyers in a lower court to attack the students and media persons. Irrespective of the Governments direct involvement it is a fact that since the BJP has assumed power the lumpen elements have been emboldened and have taken law into their hands. As for the video where anti India slogans were heard, it is reported to be doctored. While some allege that there is clinching proof against the students, another video has surfaced where the chant is azadi but it is azadi from casteism, feudalism among others. In the first video for which Kanhaiya has been booked is seeking azadi for Kashmir. In the vitiating atmosphere nothing can be ruled out: neither the possibility of students raising the anti national pitch given their leftist leanings nor the governments intent to quell movements that do not subscribe to their Hindu leanings. The RSS has always eyed academic institutions and has a game-plan in place. Consequently, to say that the BJPs hands are clean in current developments is a bit of a stretch. The unprovoked attack on the media is evidence that the party in power has little tolerance for dissent and would think nothing of unleashing its hooligans on anyone who dares oppose it. This is not to say that it is necessary to paint the Government black. Its intent to oppose anti nationalistic activities has support; its intent to suppress elements from across the border to initiate students into divisive activities has many takers. It is not a mere coincidence that the Jadavpur University students also took to the streets following the JNU protests. There is, in all likelihood, a larger pattern: not new but one that the BJP has decided to crush, against the policy of past governments of looking the other way. On this the country would perhaps stand by the BJP. What it would not accept is the BJPs failure to contain its lumpen elements that can attack media in a courtroom right under the glare of the cops. The BJP can be accused of a larger game plan like the masterminds behind University protests: JNU first and Jadavpur a day later. The motives are diametrically opposite but a blue-print is certainly and visibly in place. Years ago, the Ram temple movement had stirred passions. For the young Indian, the nation symbolism works better than religion. Is there, therefore, a sinister design to whip nationalistic fervor on the lines of the communal divide of the nineties? In other words, is JNU the new Ram temple? The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected])