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The controversy behind the installation of the busts of VD Savarkar, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Bhagat Singh in North Campus escalated with protests, detentions and ultimate removal of the statues.

In a press release by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) today, the student outfit said that the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) removed the busts of VD Savarkar, Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose, which had been installed earlier this week, from the University premises.

It also said that the University administration has given assurance to the ABVP and the DUSU that after the students’ union elections – scheduled for 12th September – the busts will be re-installed as per the necessary procedure. According to the DUSU’s own admission, the busts had initially been installed overnight of their own will, as the administration had allegedly not responded to their requests for months.

Even though the ABVP is currently in power in the Union, the party had maintained that “the busts should be installed in the University of Delhi campus only with the permission of the Delhi University Administration and other concerned authorities.”
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Before the removal of the busts, however, there had been demonstrations and protests by parties opposed to the ABVP. A signature campaign was held Friday by various student organisations, such as Parivartankami Chhatra Sangathan (Pachhas), Pinjra Tod Collective, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and others. Sources told us that during the proceedings, the police took action and detained two Pachhas members: Deepak Gupta and Manish Gautam.

A statement made by Pachhas alleged that the police took the biodata of both detainees, who were also told that they would be charged under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. The statement then alleged that Deepak Gupta was taken into a separate room, where he was not allowed to sit and not given water. Mr Gupta also alleged that the police tried to “personally attack and humiliate me verbally.” Gupta’s father was allegedly called by the cops, however owing to “bad signal” the call could not be completed. “In a half-hour interrogation, the police tried to intimidate me just because we were peacefully protesting against Savarkar,” the statement further read.

The statement further alleged that during the interrogation, two members of the ABVP, who had been detained for some matter, came into the room. “The strict demeanour of the cops disappeared,” it said. It was also alleged that while Gupta had been made to stand for half an hour, the ABVP members were offered chairs to sit. The statement said that the protests meanwhile kept going at the Arts Faculty Gate. Following the “continued pressure, both members were released after three and a half hours.” However, Gupta says that while the police told them that they were being charged with Section 188, Gautam and he were not given any information about it as they had not received any calls regarding this yet.”

Speaking to DU Beat, Siddarth Yadav, State Secretary, ABVP Delhi, denied the veracity of this chain of proceedings. “It is a good story but none of it is true,” he said. However, he did not respond on time to our further questions regarding what the correct account of proceedings in his view was.

A statement released by ABVP said that the party “demands stringent legal action against those involved from the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) in insulting our freedom fighters” – in response to the NSUI Delhi President Akshay Lakra blackening the bust of Savarkar around 2-2:30 a.m. on 22nd August. “Student organisations associated with left ideology, CYSS and NSUI have stooped down to a very low level and have given a major blow to the culture of debate and discussion prevalent in the university,” it read, saying that the said organisations were “insulting freedom fighters to meet their trivial political interests.”

Akshay Lakra also released a statement which said: “NSUI never wanted to create any hooliganism or nuisance in the campus but we won’t tolerate infiltration of any type of fake nationalism.” He alleged that the “ABVP tried to divert the attention of students of [their] unsuccessful DUSU 2018 tenure including Ankiv Baisoya’s fake degree… this whole statue incident was an attempt to polarise and change the discourse of DUSU elections.”

 

Image Credits –  Pachhas

 

Prateek Pankaj

[email protected]

 

Since the night of the attack on the Savarkar statue, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) Delhi President, Akshay Lakra, alleges that he has been receiving disturbing phone calls, threatening to attack him if he doesn’t end the protest.

In the aftermath of the Vinayak Damodar Savarkar statue controversy, the drama continues to unfold at the University of Delhi (DU) as the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections inch closer. The illegal installation of the bust saw an immediate reaction from the NSUI, who threatened a mass protest if the bust was not removed within 24 hours. Lakra has now filed an official police complaint addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police to look into the threats that he has allegedly been receiving via phone calls.

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This comes after NSUI members led by Lakra attempted to blacken the bust and ornament it with a garland of slippers. In his complaint, he claims that for the past few days he has repeatedly been receiving calls wherein he was subjected to life-threatening statements. The callers have been pressuring him to end his protest against the statue and photos from his Facebook account have been shared widely describing him as a hater of Savarkar. Due to fear for his family and friends, who can be easily identified through his social media accounts, Lakra has deactivated them. He says that he has been getting innumerable calls every second of the day from different states of the country, primarily from Maharashtra. While verifying, he realised that most of the numbers were registered on true caller by the names “Akhand Bharat”, “Hindu Ekta”,” Swaraj Manch”, “BJP supporter” and “Hindu Mahasabha” and even “Narendra Modi” himself.

 

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He also mentioned that the callers have expressed their affiliation and solidarity to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The letter requests the police to take immediate actions against the perpetrators and Lakra has also given all the numbers via which he has been receiving troubling phone calls.

Lakra in the complaint states, “It has been a traumatising experience for me. The ABVP members mentioned should be held responsible for any harm and mishap caused to me.” To support his case, he has provided photographic evidence of several continuous missed calls on his cellphone. While all the other numbers are of Indian users, a number from South Korea and Bahrain has also been giving him calls which he suspects is originating from the accused group.

 

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“People might say that what I did was a political stunt but it is clearly not because I am not running. I just want to start a conversation and have a debate. There is an attempt to impose one particular ideology in the country and to rewrite history. The ABVP has encroached on the property to forcefully install the statue but they have no proof to prove that Savarkar is Veer and no basis to equate him with Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose or Shri Bhagat Singh. I am not afraid of the wrath of the RSS”, he added.
Speaking to DU Beat, Saimon Farooqui, National Secretary, NSUI, said, “RSS & ABVP have always made dishonesty and bigotry as their instruments to cheat the nation and the universities. Earlier they tried to deceive the students by spending INR 22 lakh of the DUSU budget on “tea”. Last year, they deceived the students of the university by approving the candidature for the post of President of DUSU of a person who had fake documents and carried a fake degree. Today they are trying to brainwash the students of the university by trying to prove a bootlicker of the English Government as a freedom fighter and putting him on the same pedestal as Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Subhash Chandra Bose. I’m proud of our Delhi State President Akshay Lakra for this step and the entire NSUI family backs him for this move. If needed, each one of us would come to streets to blacken and remove the statues of thousands of Savarkars like this.”

Additionally, the negative attention that Akshay is receiving has gone well and beyond DU. Popular accounts on Facebook run by elderly men are openly abusing him and threatening him. Shiv Sena leader, Uddhav Thackeray, has also joined the wagon commenting that anyone who insults Savarkar should be beaten openly!

The National Media Convener for the ABVP, Monika Chaudhary, surprisingly, denies any involvement of the ABVP in this matter, and dissociates herself and her party from the scenario. She retorted that the complaint was “completely false” and that the ABVP does not engage with this level of politics. She also stated that none of the numbers mentioned on the complaint could be connected to any ABVP office-bearers. “It is not the actions of an official member of the ABVP. It could have been an ABVP sympathiser or a person who is a big fan of Veer Savarkar,” she said. She also went on to say that this complaint is merely a means to achieve “fame and popularity” for Lakra in light of the upcoming elections.

We are yet to see what steps the Delhi Police will take against the complaint filed. It is also important to note that if true, the scale of backlash being directed at Akshay Lakra is unprecedented and constitutes harassment. It speaks volumes about how students exercising their freedom of speech and action within university spaces are not immune to attacks from the vicious web of internet trollers who rely only on keywords to immediate make insensitive comments.

 

Image Credits: Akshay Larka for NSUI

 

Pragati Thapa

[email protected]

The march took a political and violent turn when the party reached Kirori Mal College (KMC) where the Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP), campaigning for upcoming Delhi University Students’ Association (DUSU) elections, clashed with them. 

The All India Students’ Association (AISA), on 23rd August 2019, held a protest at the University of Delhi’s (DU) North Campus. They were pressing for a higher frequency of busses, concessional metro passes for students, and more affordable public transport.

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The protest was interrupted when AISA reached KMC where the ABVP, then campaigning for upcoming the DUSU elections, clashed with them.

The rivalry was very evident as slogans were chanted from both the parties against each other. “Vande Matram”, “Sachin ke goons” and “Cheen ke dalalo ko ek dhakka aur do(Give the Chinese brokers one more push) were loudly spoken by the members of ABVP against AISA that led to this confrontation.

The brawl became violent and security personnel had to intervene to keep both the parties separate to prevent injuries.

This also put a halt to AISA touring the entire college and they were forced out of the main gate of KMC.

Madhurima, DU Secretary, AISA, describing the confrontation, said, “Our issues are very simple, it is affordable public transport to curb air pollution still they have a problem with that. When we entered KMC, the ABVP was already present in huge numbers. Moreover, they were not even DU students, but outsiders. They then began with their slogan-chanting and slagging, and attacking our activists.”

She added, “The police were also pro-ABVP and even closed the gates of Hansraj to prevent us from entering. We should all realise that it is a big nexus of ABVP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government, oil corporations, car companies, and corporates that profit greatly by people not using public transport.”

Kawalpreet Kaur, Delhi President, AISA in conversation with DU Beat said, “DU students have been demanding metro concession passes for a long time now, and how Delhi is facing severe air pollution makes way for public transport to be invested in. There are many cities that are providing free public transport. And with metro fares rising continuously, we see people being discouraged to use them. Earlier, we protested for applicability of student bus pass in AC buses. Sadly, even though the pass is applicable, there is an acute shortage of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses.”

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She also added, “AISA is a common student-based association. What affects the students, affects us. So, we know how terrible it is when you miss your classes due to the less frequent plying of busses. This works against accessibility to education.”

Shreya, a member of the AISA, said, “The main aim for this march today is to propagate two issues: to make public transport very affordable for students and to make Delhi less polluted in retrospect, and for the DUSU elections to focus more on student-centric and environmental issues, rather than caste, religion, and nationalism.”

Two years back when the metro fare was increased, it directly affected the student community. Since then, AISA has been protesting against the same. Last year, they protested in front of Delhi’s Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal’s house, and Prime Minister’s Office for applicability of student bus-pass in red AC buses, and metro concessional pass for students.

They have chosen to protest just before the upcoming DUSU elections, 2019, so the candidates include student-centric environmental and welfare issues in their manifestos which are often ignored.

High deployment of security personnel was seen accompanying the march as it began to prevent riots and control the raging crowd. AISA took their march into corridors of Ramjas College chanting their demands and gather more students.

Witnessing the heat between the two parties, AISA was not allowed to enter the Hansraj College premises.

Kawalpreet Kaur, stating the true aim of these protests said, “We are protesting to pressurise all governments, student associations, and candidates contesting in DUSU election to bring issues like this in light than fighting over statues. The people who have the power to resolve these issues are silent.”

 

Image credits: Noihirit for DU Beat.

 

Chhavi Bahmba

[email protected]

 

Four candidates, out of the selected 10 will be contesting for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) election next month. 

One of the two major political parties of the DUSU, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Thursday, released the names of 10 of its members who are to contest for the upcoming elections which will be held on 12th September. Four out of the lot will be contesting for the positions of office bearers

The 10 probable candidates are Tushar Dedha, Yogit Rathi, Sahil Malik, Akshit Dahiya, Sachin, Varun Rekswal, Pradeep Tanwar, Shivangi Kharaab, Jaideep Maan, and Mansi Chauhan. “From Friday onwards, the 10 candidates will visit colleges and talk about the achievements of ABVP-led DUSU,” Siddharth Yadav, Delhi State Secretary, ABVP, said, as reported by Devdiscourse. 

As of now, most of the details have not been disclosed to the public, and the campaigning will perhaps set the course for the party and its members. The candidates have already begun campaigning and were seen visiting various colleges of the North Campus, like Shri Ram College of Commerce, Kirori Mal College, etc., today.

Speaking to DU Beat, Monika, National Media Convener, ABVP, said, “…[A]ctually, majority of the questions will be answered with time – like who is contesting for what position, our strategy, our manifesto, etc., it is only the pre-election campaign which has been started.”

The party had been in headlines last year, because the elected President, Ankiv Baisoya, was found to possess a fake undergraduate degree. The scene had lead to a lot of confusion, and questioning of the credentials of DUSU, with National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) even pressing for re-elections. When asked about the same, Monika reassured that a similar situation would not reoccur. “We have checked the backgrounds of all interested candidates, and this time all are students from the University of Delhi (DU) only.”

More details are expected to come out soon.

Feature Image Credits: Ashutosh Singh for ABVP

 

Maumil Mehraj

[email protected]

Following demands to rename the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) Office after VD Savarkar, the DUSU has now installed a pillar with the busts of Savarkar, Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh in the campus, creating a new row.

In an incident that is causing a new controversy in the University of Delhi (DU), the DUSU– led by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students’ wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)– on Tuesday, installed the busts of VD Savarkar, Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh on a pillar outside the Arts Faculty Gate No. 4 in the North Campus. This development comes a week after the student party raised a demand to christen the DUSU Office as ‘Veer Savarkar Bhawan’.

This episode has created a new row in the University circuit. The conflict has arisen because firstly, the DUSU allegedly not followed the proper procedure behind the installation of the busts, and secondly, the opponents of this move are raising a more fundamental criticism that placing Savarkar along with Subhas Bose and Bhagat Singh is unjustified.

“Anti-national step”

In what seemed like giving the ABVP a taste of RSS and BJP’s own medicine, the Indian National Congress (INC) backed National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) called the move made by the DUSU an “anti-national step” and an example of “sheer pseudo-nationalism”.

Saimon Farooqui, the National Secretary of the NSUI, said, “ABVP has always considered VD Savarkar as their hero. [In spite] of him begging for mercy in front of the English Government, the ABVP wants to promote his agenda. We should never forget that he opposed Quit India Movement and refused from unfurling Tiranga, hence demanding for Hindu Rashtra. Comparing Savarkar to Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose is an insult to our Martyrs and their freedom struggle. Naming the august office of representatives of the students of one [of] the best universities after an anti-national person will bring disgrace to the university. It is an example of sheer pseudo-nationalism of ABVP. I, on behalf of NSUI strongly oppose this anti-national step.”

Similarly, on the issue of naming the DUSU Office after Savarkar, Sumit Kataria, the Delhi State Vice President of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the party affiliated to the Communist Party of India (CPI), said, “They [DUSU] are not making any new institution and are just renaming an already existing one. All these are just political gimmicks by ABVP to cover up the fact that they have not done anything for the welfare of the student community over the past one year since the DUSU elections are around the corner. Also, this is just a part of their agenda of rewriting Indian history. Savarkar was a traitor to the Indian freedom struggle as he wrote many mercy petitions to the British and had pledged his allegiance to the British rule. Also, his views are completely against the idea of a secular democratic India. Naming DUSU office after such a person should be opposed at any cost and it will be.”

Akshay Chauhan, a student of History at Hindu College stated “I must say Bhagat Singh has died today. To be venerated with a Hindu nationalist who was in cahoots with the colonialists, Bhagat Singh died a shameful death.”

“Youth icons”

 Not all were condemning the move of the DUSU. Professor Rasal Singh, a Member of the RSS-affiliated teachers’ organisation, National Democratic Teachers’ Front (NDTF), said, “All three [Savarkar, Bose, Bhagat Singh] are great youth icons. It is high time for the youth to get inspired by them and inculcate those values for which they lived and died.” Prof Singh had contested for the post of the DUSU Vice President on an ABVP panel in 2000.

However, given that many contested and criticised Savarkar’s very ideals and actions, was it justified to consider him a hero? “Yes definitely,” replied Professor Singh, “This is distorted history [written] by communist and colonial historians. That’s why we demand rewriting of history with nationalist perspective.” He asked in return, “Members of DUSU, which is [the] largest students’ union in the country and ABVP, which is [the] largest organization of students in the world feel that Savarkar is a national hero. [Then] what’s the issue? [Do] not they represent youths of this country?”

DU Beat had previously quoted Siddharth Yadav, the ABVP Delhi State Secretary, as saying, “Our University has forgotten the heroes of our freedom struggle. If studied thoroughly, he [Savarkar] is the true inspiration for youngsters.”

Question of procedure

 According to a report in The Indian Express, “The pillar came up overnight and, by DUSU’s own admission, without permission from university authorities.” The report stated that a guard, supposedly on duty outside the Arts Faculty Gate No. 4, had said, “a mini-truck was brought in a green tent-like structure around 2 am [on Tuesday], which was set up outside the gate and surrounded by ABVP activists. Around 9.30 am, the structure was removed to reveal the pillar.”

Shakti Singh, the DUSU President in the aforementioned report, stated “We have written to university officials several times asking for permission to set up such a monument — last November, this March, April and again in August — but we got no response. So we decided to go ahead and do it ourselves,”

The condemnation (and approbation) towards the installation of Savarkar’s bust alongside those of Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh was largely partisan. However, concerns regarding the adherence to the proper procedure were raised by even those who fundamentally supported the idea of installing the busts. Despite hailing the move itself, Professor Singh said, “However, I feel laid-down procedure should have been followed for this installation.”

Mr. Yadav, regarding the question of procedure, said, “ABVP is of the clear view that the busts should be installed in Delhi University campus only with the permission of the Delhi University Administration and other concerned authorities.” Despite reiterating the claim of the DUSU that their demands had been “completely ignored” by the administration, he added that “ABVP has clarified to the [DUSU] that the busts should be kept in the DUSU office till the permission is granted and the busts should be installed only after the due permission of the administration.”

The land on which the bust has been installed falls under the jurisdiction of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), as reported by the Indian Express.

Protest against the bust

 The Indian Express had quoted Akshay Lakra, the NSUI Delhi Unit President, as saying, “If the statues are not removed within 24 hours, we will launch a strong protest.”

Then, early morning on Thursday, NSUI activists were seen approaching the Arts Faculty Gate where the pillar was installed. The Times of India reported that the incident took place between 2-2:30 AM. Mr Lakra, who was leading the members of the student party, first garlanded the busts of Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose and then tore off the garland from Savarkar’s. He then went on to place a garland of shoes around Savarkar’s bust but was stopped by the security personnel present there. With the garland of shoes off the bust, Mr Lakra then defaced it with what looked like black ink. The bust was, however, found clean in the morning today.

Akshay Lakra, NSUI Delhi President, seen defacing the Savarkar bust around 2 AM.
Akshay Lakra, NSUI Delhi President, was seen defacing the Savarkar bust around 2 AM.  Image and Video Credits – Amarjeet Kumar Singh, AISA

 

It should be noted that these recent developments have come up when the DUSU elections are just around the corner. The University announced on 20th August that while the last date for filing nominations is 4th September, the polling will take place on the 12th of September.

Feature Image Credits – Kawalpreet Kaur – Delhi President, All India Students’ Association – via Facebook

 Prateek Pankaj
[email protected]

Discussing the absolute belief with which we, at times, think we are right, providing no space for any sort of discussion. 

As college students, who are always being bombarded with new ideas and often one-sided news on social media and other platforms, we are, at times, too quick to form certain opinions, which we then start treating as absolute truths of the universe. More often than not, we also get influenced by the talks and views of our professors and friends. Some people, on the other hand, enter college with already fixed notions which they then are ready to defend in the face of opposition and at times even reason. 

Irrespective of how our believes and opinions are developed, for they are a result of our social and personal environment, most of us very strongly believe that we are situated in the moral and ethical corner at all times. Often, this hampers our understanding of why those who are in opposition to our views are so. Many of us who consider ourselves open-minded make statements like “everyone has a right to their own opinions”, but how often do we believe that or not belittler someone, when they hold, beliefs opposite to ours?

As students of the University for Delhi (DU), many of us consider ourselves as politically and socially conscious beings. We attend political rallies and go for protests and some students even join political organizations like the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) or the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI). However, most of us live in complete denial of even wanting to understand the other side of the argument, leading to a lack of empathy on all sides. Many times we also associate a particular policy with a party. A person who believes in right-wing politics will more often than not believe that all actions of a right-wing political organization are correct and a person who believes in left-wing politics will more often than not believe that all actions of a left-wing political organization are correct, leaving no room for doubt. Incidents of physical and social media bullying or social ostracizing of people because of their political or social believes is a global issue, from which our University corridors are infected as well. 

In conclusion, with partial or complete information, opinionated or neutral media platforms and associates, many of us rush into making concrete judgments, completely oblivious to the fact that the other side must have their reason for their views, irrespective of whether we agree or disagree with them. Dismissing the other side of an argument does not make us victorious on an imaginary debating platform. Perhaps then, at times we can agree to disagree, for discussion is not to win, but to understand and perhaps at times even empathize with those we do not agree with, in a patient and peaceful environment.  

For instance, you may be inclined to follow my line of personal thought and agree with the beliefs behind this article, or disagree with it very strongly; you have a right to do so. I cannot admit to knowing it all but so can’t any of us. 

Feature Image Credits: Aaron Mead 

Juhi Bhargava   

[email protected] 

 

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has called for renaming the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) Office after the progenitor of Hindutva – VD Savarkar.

“Our University has forgotten the heroes of our freedom struggle. The place where Bhagat Singh was kept doesn’t even have a statue of him in the entire complex. I don’t even think half of the students even know of the Bhagat Singh jail below Vice Regal Lodge. Same is with Veer Savarkar. If studied thoroughly, he is the true inspiration for youngsters,” says Siddharth Yadav, the ABVP Delhi State Secretary, explaining why the DUSU Office should be renamed after Savarkar.

As reported by Outlook, Shakti Singh, President of the ABVP-led DUSU, had demanded that the DUSU Office be named ‘Veer Savarkar Bhawan’. The demand was made during the staging of the play ‘Hey Mrityunjay’, which is ‘based on time spent by Savarkar in the Andaman jail’ on 12th August.

An atheist, Vinayak Damodar ‘Veer’ Savarkar is credited as being the father of the Hindutva thought. Even though he did not coin the term ‘Hindutva’ – or “Hinduness” as he explained it – he theorised it as a cultural and political ideology. An advocate of acquiring independence from the British through revolutionary means, he was imprisoned due to his anti-British activities. A failed attempt to escape from prison landed him at the Cellular Jail or Kala Pani  in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. During this time, Savarkar wrote ‘Hindutva’, laying out an ideology that is at centre stage of contemporary Indian politics.

Perhaps even the admirers of Savarkar would agree that he is not an uncontroversial figure. Not every party holds him in the same high regard as the Hindutva parties do. Asaduddin Owaisi in a speech had questioned the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) by alleging that Savarkar had claimed that the tricolour could never be India’s national flag. Rahul Gandhi had in Parliament contrasted the Congress and the BJP’s ideologies by evoking the contrast between MK Gandhi and Savarkar; a row had followed. Savarkar was also tried, though acquitted for involvement in Gandhi’s murder.

The legitimacy of numerous claims can be discussed separately. Similarly, debating Savarkar’s political philosophy here would be futile; quoting a phrase or two from a whole body of work does not do justice to the writer or their thought – both the critique and the approbation remain shallow in that case. Yet, the point remains that Savarkar is a polarising figure.

So is it justified for the ABVP to demand that a student union office be named after a figure so controversial, especially when many parties would probably not consent? Mr. Yadav comments, “It is a demand and we have all the right to do so. Surely if discussions are done the so-called controversy would also be cleared. That was also one of the purpose[s] of the play where this demand was raised, to bring out the truth.”

Perhaps Savarkar deserves more attention, as do many other Indian revolutionaries in the historiography of the colonial period. Hindutva is a fascinating read, despite its holes and problems. Given today’s reality, it would only be wise to better understand the fountainhead of this ideology.

Yet, why should a university student union office be named after a political figure? Why can’t the name of the office remain apolitical, in spite of all the student politics around it? Moreover, why only Savarkar? What will the ABVP’s reaction be if the Left parties demand that the Office be named after, say, M.N. Roy?

 

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Prateek Pankaj

[email protected]

The first-semester syllabi of four subjects have been accepted by the panel of the University of Delhi (DU).

The University of Delhi has approved the syllabus of English, History, Political Science, and Sociology for first-semester. The syllabi of other subjects have been sent back for revision, and for a final overlook, to their respective Departments, who have been provided with the time of a month to do the same..

The long-drawn-out controversy over University of Delhi’s syllabus of certain subjects has come to a step closer to its conclusion with this action. However, many academic and ethical debates over this dispute are still taking place. 

This controversy began with right-wing organisations objecting to the inclusion of certain course materials, like the role of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the 2002 Gujarat riots, and the depiction of Hindu deities in Queer literature in the English syllabus. The situation soon escalated with the ABVP protesting against the course material of certain subjects, which according to them were anti-national and non-Indian in aesthetics. Dr. Rasal Singh of the Academic Council said, “The syllabi have to be cleansed and Indianised, it should be free from Colonial and Communist clutches.”

Counter-protests for academic freedom by organizations like the Delhi University Teacher’s Association (DUTA), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students’ Association (AISA), Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), Pinjra Tod soon followed, leading to a University-wide altercation. 

Feature Image Credits: Collegedunia 

Juhi Bhargava 

[email protected] 

The lanes near Jantar Mantar and Parliament Street flooded with protestors as the Centre issued the news of the abrogation of Article 35A, and Article 370 which granted a special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

This morning, Home Minister Amit Shah announced in the Rajya Sabha, that Article 35A, and Article 370 which grants the state of Jammu & Kashmir special status are to be abrogated.
As the hours went on, the bill was passed.

The move leaves Jammu and Kashmir as a union territory with its own legislature. Ladakh would also be a union territory, but without its own assembly.

Since 4th August, Kashmir has been under lockdown with a complete shutdown of internet, broadband, and cellular services. Many Kashmiris across the world have said their indefinite goodbyes to their loved ones, unaware of when the ban would be lifted. Fear, anxiety, and paranoia have gripped the valley as news of deployment of thousands of paramilitary forces spreads out. Tourists and pilgrims have been asked to leave the state immediately, in the face of intelligence reports alleging a terror threat.

On 5th August, as the news of abrogation spread like wildfire throughout the University, student organisations took it upon themselves to celebrate, and resist.

As the ABVP celebrated the move near Arts Faculty with sweets and dhol, Left-leaning parties like the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), All India Students’ Federation (AISF) and All India Students’ Association (AISA) gathered around Jantar Mantar to protest against the move. The impromptu protest which was organised within two hours saw hundreds of gatherers with placards, demanding that the Articles be reinstated.
A Kashmiri student who requested to stay anonymous said, “I’m speechless, I don’t know what else to say.”

The protest also saw prominent leaders of the CPI (M), like Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat. As cries of ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ echoed through the Parliament Street, the protesters burnt an effigy in an attempt to defame the Modi government. 

“I was thinking that this might happen since it was a part of the BJP’s manifesto, but deep down, I didn’t want it to happen. It’s only about the territory now, not the people,” said Hayder, a student. 

Due to the communication blackout, students have been unable to reach out to their loved ones. Almost every Kashmiri student remembers the exact time they last reached out to their family.

Residents of Kashmir are yet to find out about the abrogation. 

Speaking to DU Beat, Dipankar Bhattacharya, the General Secretary of CPI (ML) called the move as a ‘constitutional coup’ and ‘a complete travesty of truth and justice’. “I think this is a warning to every Indian of the shape of things to come, and these things are coming conspitarioly, but are coming rather fast. This is an adventurous way of governing. This is a recipe for disaster. It’s a time-bomb ticking away for the rest of India. Just because it was a part of the BJP manifesto and that they won the popular mandate doesn’t mean that the whole of India supports this move,” added Bhattacharya.

Ehthemam, a student of Jamia Milia Islamia called the move ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘illegal’. “The army and state repression has been high in Kashmir, with the cellular and internet shutdowns, it only increases the paranoia over human rights violations in the valley. They want control of Kashmir’s resources which is why they choose to abrogate Articles 35A and Article 370. The abrogation is impractical and will only worsen the conflict.”

Kawalpreet Kaur, the president of AISA, Delhi State added “This is illegal and should be challenged in court. This protest showed us that people aren’t happy with what happened today.”

Kaur declared that the resistance would carry on in the form of another protest march on the 7th of August, from Mandi House to Parliament Street. 

“The curfew will be lifted some day, people will come to know, how long will you repress us for? What happened today was unconstitutional,” said a Kashmiri woman addressing the gathering.

Home Minister Amit Shah has assured the opposition in the Rajya Sabha: full statehood at ‘appropriate time’ after ‘normalcy’ returns.
But for a state which has been militarized for decades, what is defined as ‘normal’? Amidst internet shutdowns and pellet guns, where does the Kashmiri identity go?

Feature Image Credits: Jaishree Kumar for DU Beat

Jaishree Kumar

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ABVP welcomes the move to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status with dhols, garlands, sweets, and slogans in the Faculty of Arts of the  University of Delhi (DU) today. 

The party members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of BJP affiliated to RSS, gathered in the Faculty of Arts of University of Delhi today to celebrate the abolition of Article 370, and Article 35A of the Indian Constitution that granted special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir along with Ladakh.

This article provides special autonomy to the state in the Constitution of India. This article, along with Article 35A, defined that the Jammu and Kashmir residents live under a separate set of laws, including those related to citizenship, ownership of property and fundamental rights as compared to residents of other Indian states. 

In a historical move, this article was scrapped by the BJP-led Government today in the parliament. 

The celebrations, which commenced from 3:30 pm, saw ABVP workers marching into the faculty gates accompanied by drummers. ABVP members commemorated the event by putting garlands, and showering flowers on the statue of Swami Vivekananda in the faculty premises. 

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Lead by the ABVP North Delhi head Mr. Bharat Sharma, chants of Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Vande Mataram could be heard all over the premises. “Yeh humare liye hi nahi, ek ek desh wasi ke liye, ek ek kashmir wasi ke liye ek moment of pride hai (This is a moment of pride, not just for us, but for each and every Indian, for each and every Kashmiri.)”, said Mr. Sharma.

Mr. Sidharth Yadav, Delhi State Secretary, ABVP, proclaimed, “For the first time today, this generation has seen an independent India”.

The celebrations went on to see hundreds in the Arts Faculty, with ABVP flags, dancing and distributing sweets. Mr. Ashutosh Singh, State Media Incharge for the ABVP said, “Government ko abhi sabse zyada Kashmiri locals ka bharosa jeetne ki zaroorat hai kyunki humlog unke saath me hain, (What the Government needs to do right now, is to win the trust of local Kashmiris because we are all with them,)”

Shri Srinivas, the National Joint Organising Secretary of ABVP, also addressed the gathering after distribution of sweets amongst the students, and party workers, “We have been struggling due to the actions of Mr. Nehru. Now any citizen can work in Jammu and Kashmir and live there. It’s a revolutionary day.” In conversation with DU Beat, he added, “ek sarthak behes desh bhar me honi chahiye, above party politics, ki vaastav me 370 ne Jammu and Kashmir ki janata ka fayda kiya ya nuksan kiya… aur desh ka har parliament member jab desh ki parliament me khade hota hai aur desh ki ekta aur akhandta ki shapath leta hai, to mujhe lagta hai ki woh shapath ko pura karne ka time aa gaya hai (There should be a meaningful debate on the pros and cons of article 370, above party politics… since every parliament member of the country takes a pledge for the unity of the country in the parliament, it’s time they fulfill their pledge,)”

Amidst the dance and dhols, the DUSU President Mr. Shakti Singh had the following to say to DU Beat, when asked about his concerns regarding the students from Jammu and Kashmir studying in DU, “It’s all propaganda and false information being provided to the students, there is nothing for the students to be afraid of, they are safe and will be so.”

The celebrations that lasted for hours had workers dancing and embracing each other in this festivity celebrating the abolition.

Feature Image Credits: Abhinandan Kaul for DU Beat. 

Satviki Sanjay 

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Stephen Mathew

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