[Reader-list] JNU and its discontents

[Fahad Mustafa]

**
*Following is a blog-post from
**http://jnuchronicles.blogspot.com*<http://jnuchronicles.blogspot.com>
*. The author who, referred to in my post on JNU
**here*<http://http://www.nomadings.blogspot.com/>
*, describes himself as a liberal and hates "the left ideology of branding
any non lefty as a right winger". *
**
*Interestingly, his "discontent" with JNU, by his own admission reflects
a on a divide between the Science and the Arts and
Humanities courses. This perhaps has something to do with the fact that many
students who study Science at JNU (or any other university for that
matter) are or were aspirants for an engineering degree from an IIT or
likewise... *

**
*The Sanctuary*

There is a very little known sanctuary in New Delhi. It is a home for a
variety of birds, Neelgais, civet cats (according to the Anandbazzar
Patrika) and dodos. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, dodos, albeit of the
ideological variety. Booze fuelled Marxists and pot fired Maoists. Wondering
where this place is? Well, you know that for sure; in fact you might have
been there sometimes as well. Its called JNU, the "Jawaharlal Nehru
University".

Want to take a tour of this mystical place? You will need a guide for that.
I am always at your service for that purpose. But before you accept my
services, let me tell you something about myself. Call me "the spectator",
for I am rather detached from campus politics. I belong to one of the few
non-communist Schools of the University, come from a middle-class background
and can be loosely described as an individualist or a libertarian. I am a
'sciencee' proper and don't know much about Political "Science".

If you have still retained my services after learning all this, then let's
start the tour. I am sure that the Neelgais and the civet cats you'll handle
on your own; so let me begin with the dodos and their highly interesting and
at times thoroughly outrageous activities. They are collectively known as
communists, Marxists, commies, etc., but thinking them as a "collective" is
the first big mistake that an outsider makes. Their internal struggles are
as intense as their struggle against the 'class enemies'. A most interesting
phenomenon is the suitability of the environment of this sanctuary for their
survival and procreation. While the world over this species is either
extinct or on the verge of extinction, their population in JNU has increased
to such an alarming extent that the niche called the "political space" has
been completely monopolized by them.

The dodos can be broadly classified into three subspecies. On the extreme
right is the SFI-AISF (Students Federation of India-All India Students
Federation). Once the dominant subspecies, nowadays their dominance is being
undone by the activities of their "godfather" CPI(M) in West Bengal. Though
absolutely nauseating in their home ranges of West Bengal (and maybe in
Kerala as well, but I don't know for sure), here they exist as peace-loving
herbivores. The midsection is marshalled by AISA (All India Students
Association), the second subspecies. They are known for their sense of
balance, tightrope walking skills and the skill of making the most of any
given situation, and creating situations which they can make most out of.
The third, and the most aggressive sub-species, which inhabits the far-left
corners of the political space, is the most ironically named DSU (Democratic
Students Union), the 'more radical than thou' banned young guns of a banned
naxalite outfit who do not believe in democracy altogether. Visitors are
cautioned that this particular sub-specie is extremely aggressive and can
explode with dire consequences at the slightest provocation.

Let me show you some of their antics. They have brought out a pamphlet
(unsigned, as usual) regarding the soon to be conducted re-elections for the
post of Councillor of the School of Social Sciences, and I quote: "Nandigram
has exposed the anti-people nature of *all* parliamentary forces, and
*all*forms of parliamentary politics" (the italics aren't my addition,
the are so
in the pamphlet as well). While this statement is detestable, what follows
is darkly comical- "Its time we vote politically…Let's make a choice now…and
decisively vote against parliamentarism, its practitioners, its defenders,
and all those who try to justify this oppressive system." The pamphlet
concludes by urging the people to "Vote and Elect VANESSA for the SSS
Councillor".

I don't know if someone has ever tried to explain to them that if you are
against parliamentary democracy, you boycott elections, not contest them. Or
that if it weren't for the (relatively) liberal democratic system that
governs this country, being 'underground' wouldn't have been fashionable
(everyone knows who they are), but necessary. They should be thankful that
they haven't been thrown into a dungeon in some concentration camp for
dissidents, which was a standard practice in the nations ruled by their
beloved leaders.

I am surprised at the extent to which they can go and yet get away
scot-free. Sometime back, they have started a movement deploring the move to
create digital archives for the School of Arts and Aesthetics with corporate
funding. The project is supposed to be supported by the TATAs or by the Ford
Foundation or some other corporate donor. Now, the DSU has problem with
anything and everything that is not named "Peoples Revolutionary XYZ" or
something similar. But it does it give them the license to level baseless
allegation against anyone at will? Sample this poster (again unsigned,
bearing only the name of the organization), "The Ford Foundation, in close
collaboration with the CIA, has been at the forefront of the capitalist and
imperialist propaganda in the Post-War period, especially in third world
countries… Why is Ford Foundation interested in funding campuses? To own,
control, commodify, and market knowledge, education, art and culture.
Particularly in the field of art and culture, to 'preserve' and marginalized
(sic) art forms as dead artifacts that no longer evolve, a museum exhibit
with no dynamism, no living relevance… Funds from the state for education
are rolled back at the behest of the World Bank and the 'philanthropic'
imperial foundation it spawns. The government refuses to fund education on
the pretext of lack of funds. Then Ford and assorted fronts of imperialist
institutions step in and offer funds. They may not make us pay for the
archive, dictate terms to us immediately, or try to influence our research
right now…but they have deep pockets and long term plans. What they 'give'
they take back many times more." I don't know much law, but instinct says
that this is enough for a libel suit.

Along with the poster, a pamphlet (again unsigned) dated 8th April 2007 was
published under the heading "Of funds and foundations: What is wrong with
corporate funding in education and research?" Excerpts from that pamphlet
"From a reading of the history of 'philanthropic' international intuitions,
be it Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Bill Gates Foundation and the
likes, it is apparent that that they have worked worldwide, closely with
imperialist regimes in the post-War period to propagate and legitimize the
worldwide hegemony of imperialism, particularly U.S. imperialism…
International monetary institutions such as the World Bank, IMF, WTO;
foundations, NGOs…have been used to buy out and silence voices of dissent,
to destroy resistance. Peoples movements have been subverted and replaced
with the NGO brand of 'conflict management' between the oppressor and the
oppressed… Three particularly oppressed sections of the Indian society:
women, dalits and adivasis have been particularly targeted by these
foundations for funding. This is because all three are important components
of a movement for basic change in society." Thankfully, the pamphlet does
not mention other social sections/groups as alternative recipients for
funding so that their constituency is not encroached upon. If the most
oppressed and underprivileged are not to be helped, then who are? Sounds
like abusing the firemen for putting out a fire, which would have fetched a
large insurance amount ONLY if it had burned down the house completely and
killed at least half the occupants in the process.

So this was the DSU. If you are asking how are they surviving in the heart
of civilization, then I'm sorry to say that I don't have an answer. As I
said earlier, the environment of this sanctuary is particularly conducive to
their survival. Perhaps because it is the only University in the country
(except the wild east cowbelt) where you can accuse the VC of embezzlement
(without proof), hold the Registrar hostage for hours in the most
humiliating fashion and get away with it. More of that later.


-- 
Fahad Mustafa
26 Narmada Apartments
Alaknanda
New Delhi, 110019
Phone:+91-9818893784
          ****
ragon mein daudtey rahney ke ham nahin qayal
jo aankh se hi na tapka woh lahoo kya hai

http://www.nomadings.blogspot.com/
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