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DU to Launch Endowment Funds to Meet IoE Requirements

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DU will receive INR 100 crore grant from the government for achieving IoE status and aims to raise the equivalent amount on its own.

 

In September 2019, the University of Delhi was awarded the status of Institute of Eminence (IoE) by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) on the recommendation of the University Grants Commission (UGC). In order to meet the requirements of the same, the university has launched the ‘Endowment Fund of the Delhi University’ which aims to raise INR 100 crore over a period of five years and has also encouraged alumni to invest in sectors of their choice, which may range from building to research funds. 

 

This tag allows the University a grant of INR 100 crore from the government over five years and aims to raise the same amount on its own as well. The varsity states that the funds will be, “100% tax exemption and has no restriction on the amount of contribution. The donor can choose the area in which his/her contribution should be utilised. The information on the utilisation of funds will be displayed on the university website and 50 per cent of the funds earmarked for girl students. There also will be a compulsory audit of the endowment by the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.”

 

According to a circular signed by the Vice-Chancellor, Yogesh Tyagi, the University is currently in the top 500 universities globally according to QS World University Ranking and is aiming to be in top 100 over the next 10 years. However, it lacks new institutions in the field. “To help our students and faculty attain academic excellence, the University would like to provide them with the necessary support, including the best and most modern research facilities and educational infrastructure”, further states the circular.

 

The letter also suggests, “It will provide opportunities and facilities to enhance the quality of teaching and research and to attract talent from outside the University and make them stakeholders in our growth story. This enterprise will ultimately lead to the University’s role and contribution to the nation-building and to scale greater heights in the global rankings.”

 

The University is yet to sign an agreement with the Ministry, under which it will lay out the plan to achieve the status of a world-class institution. Public institutions with IoE status are eligible for a government grant of INR 1000 crores. Upon getting the IoE status, DU will have complete academic, administrative and financial autonomy to spend the resources it raises and is allocated.

 

Recently Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IITD) also launched a global endowment fund of INR 250 crore in presence of President Ram Nath Kovind by 10 founder alumni members. The University states that the fund will be utilised for “each one teach one” providing a student aid of INR 10000 to each student to facilitate their education. 

 

Feature Image credits: DU Beat Archives

 

Aditi Gutgutia
[email protected]

 

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Arts & Culture

Schools: The Breeding Grounds of Unquestioned Discipline

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Think about your favourite teacher, first best friend, first crush, sharing tiffin boxes, the class getting up and chanting “good morning teacher”, bells ringing and copies closing in unison. Nostalgic, right? 

School inevitably leads one to “memory avenue” where one cannot help but wander. With the Semester-End Examination bidding farewell, the WhatsApp groups flood with reunion plans. But there exists a bitter side, a side that is an underlying decay, decay that cannot be ignored.

School instils fear in the hearts of students. The adrenalin rush at the fear of not knowing an answer turns out to be a baseless tremor, as one looks back at past. Eventually, this fear becomes a part of one’s system and the default setting of thinking more and speaking fewer sets in. How many times did you know the answer, had a doubt or an opinion but could not raise your hand? Did this resurface in your adulthood? Let that thought sink in…..

“I remember I was in seventh when our teachers segregated us on the basis of the length of our kurtas. We were very young hence, we actually started feeling guilty.”

The length of a kurta, the length of a skirt, the magnitude of the narrowness of one’s pants, the crime of rolling up one’s sleeves seem to be the only parameters which exist to judge students and categorize them into “good” and “undisciplined”. This plight continues like the not-so-famous process of “unnatural selection”, we assume that Darwin hangs his head down at the thought of it. The stages of categorization continue till an alpha being is found who is used as the ideal specimen to which others are advised to “look up to”. “Look at him, try to be like him” they say. Eventually, one tries to follow, as a result, the coping mechanism changes to copying mechanism and a school changes into a mass production unit.

The garden never claimed the roses to be the most beautiful. The flowerpots never told the periwinkles to be like lilies, the soil never told the weed to act like grass.

Students learn to follow, follow their teachers, follow elders, and follow what the book says. No one teaches the act of resistance, the act of questioning is a forbidden fact because apparently, questions do not come as six markers in papers. They never let one ask why but expect an explanation in your diary note.

Schools hollow out the capacity to have opinions. The glass is always half full and schools half-heartedly open horizons to fit in critical thinking. Agitation and resistance are Greek words until one enters college, where every voice matters, where every act of dissent is not reduced to rootless rebellion. 

“I’d be concerned about a behaviour policy that focuses on punishing students for what they are getting wrong rather than asking the broader question of why they are behaving in a particular way. Our school’s motto is “live adventurously”…… we encourage individuals to think for themselves and explore and question- that’s fundamental to education”, Iain Kilpatrick, head-teacher, Sidcot School, Somerset.

A democratic classroom is a farfetched dream which only some seem to savour. A place where questions are asked, opinions are accepted and sticks are spared is much due. The existing training for slavery should be replaced by the empowerment of future leaders. Dawn is yet to come.

Feature Image Credits: Gyanarjun Saroj for DU Beat

Priyanshi Banerjee

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Student Led Dissent and Mental Health

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Students have taken up the dissenting role in society against brutality and unconstitutional laws, but how does it affect ones mental health and what are some measures they can take?

Student led protests all over the country and especially in the capital have rocked the Nation. As more and more students take to the streets and fight for their idea of India, it has become quite easy to see student protesters as one uniform body. However, vilifying by several media outlets have also led to many forgetting that these are simply just students, who are protesting for what they think is right. For many of us, it is all a new and scary, which might affect us in ways we aren’t aware of and hence, we should not forget to take care of our mental health.

Many students had read about State suppression and brutality in their history books, but seeing it happen in real time in the country and the city where one lives can be a lot to comprehend rationally. Aditi Gutgutia, a first year student from LSR, shared “I’ve heard my friends cry over these atrocities. I’m seeing my country, it’s people, fall to a ground where there doesn’t seem to be any coming back from. And I’m scared. I have never been this vocal or even aware about politics, but now I realize how crucial it is to stand up for what you believe is right. “

In such a politically charged atmosphere, everyone has different opinions and constant defending of one’s opinions can also prove tiring. Bhavika, a DU student and founder of The Happy Company, an online platform where people can reach out for psychological help brings this into view with a different perspective. She said “ we received a messages from people of both sides of the argument. As an individual I have my own political views but as a psychological assistant, it’s my duty to detach myself from those views while listen to someone venting out, and this is how we’ve trained our Volunteers.Over the past few weeks, a lot of us have got into heated arguments over the issue, and that effects us and the other person, more than we think.”

Asmita, a member of Antaraal, which provides free psychological aid to all the students who are going through any form of psychological distress, brought into account that the emotions we feel are complex in this matter. “People are feeling a lot of despair because of whats going on, they are feeling afraid because either they or their friends are involved, they are also feeling very angry at the same time and wanting to do something. Its a lot of complex emotions. A lot of the calls that are coming in are from students who were not previously active in politics, and to them its a very new thing and they don’t know how to react, how much can they push, there is a lot of resistance from their families who are not very happy that they are doing this so they have to fight another battle at home.”

She also suggested some ways to keep one’s mental health at a stable place in these times. Firstly, she suggested not to deny emotions and feelings. She suggested not thinking about whether we are under-reacting or over reacting, and to be in touch with our emotions. She also pointed out the importance of taking a break, to refuel, get better and prepare and not feel that it is a lone fight, and try to look at the positive support from so many others. In the end she said that while emotions and rationality are not two separate things and we should embrace our emotions to help ourselves and others, it is also important to get educated and to talk to people who have more knowledge on the issue, because with information and not just an emotional argument, it will be very hard to dismiss us.

Feature Image Credits: The Wire

Prabhanu Kumar Das

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Campus Central

Friendships in Times of Political Discourse

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With countless Instagram posts, raging WhatsApp messages and everyday discussions, the current political discourse has widely affected our relationships and this piece aims to answer the question that should you let your political opinion ruin your friendships? 

 

India is currently standing on the edge of revolution with more than 40 prominent universities including central universities like the University of Delhi, and globally acclaimed universities like Harvard University all protesting against the fascist regime of the elected government.

This protest has not just reached the streets but it has even engulfed our daily conversations. Students throughout the country have shown immense support to the right of peaceful protest and raised voices against police brutality witnessed by students of Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University. With section 144 imposed and means of communication and transport cut, students have refused to stay silent even after constant detentions of their comrades.

However, there still exist many who have been blinded by years of BJP propaganda and have to awaken the “Hindu” in them to dominate. The co-existence of both extremely strong perspectives can be found easily. Unfortunately, these people aren’t far-away citizens, they are found in our proximity and interact with us daily.

People you idolised might support actions that you condemn, your childhood friend can appreciate police brutality and even your college boyfriend can ask you “What is the problem with CAA? Why are you over-stressing?”

In times like these, where there are bleating hearts, it’s important to remember a few things.

 

  1. It’s okay to be emotional: While many might tell that it’s just a policy or it’s just an act, and you’re being over-emotional over something that doesn’t directly affect, you, by all means, are allowed to tell that person to leave. It’s good to be emotional, it’s good to keep yourself in shoes of those who are oppressed and not be blinded by your privilege. It’s okay to share a million stories a day. What’s not okay is to blame yourself for caring too much.

 

  1. Unfriend, Unfollow, Block: While you’re posting your opinion, many will share videos of buses burning and doctored images of protest posters to undermine the student revolution. Seeing even one story can fill you with disgust and a longing frustration. If you believe, the person has the intellect to comprehend the gravity of what you’re saying, you may engage in a healthy discussion that doesn’t affect your mental health. But, if not, you’re completely allowed to eradicate that person from your social media as well as life.

 

 

  1. Others lack of awareness isn’t your burden: If all your friend leads you in is unnecessary bickering; distance yourself. It’s not your job to debate on half-known facts and pseudo-nationalism. It’s recommended that you ask the other person to educate themselves with the current scenario and then have a discussion. You may send them sources of information to correct their perspective but not on the cost of your mental well-being.

 

  1. Judge people on their opinions: Often you hear that you should stay cordial even after conflicting political opinion. However, it must be assessed whether the opinion just technical or lacks basic empathy. Is the debating point whether you like the reach of the possibility or you fail to consider someone human? The political opinion just doesn’t determine a political standing of the person but also questions their fundamental privilege.

 

 

  1. Call them out!: In a family WhatsApp group, if you feel suffocated with your uncle’s marginalising joke, call them out. Instances like this pave way for the banality of evil. Examples like these, normalise cruelty and in many cases even internalise it as it’s said without an objection in a comfortable safe environment. Hence, you calling them out will make people question the normalisation of it.

 

While relationships constitute a large part of our life, nothing is above your mental well-being. It’s imperative to remember that even conflicting opinions can turn relationships toxic.

 

 

Feature Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons

 

Chhavi Bahmba 

[email protected]

 

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MHRD issues a statement on JNU protests, offers mediation between stakeholders

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The Jawaharlal Nehru University has been, for the past 50 days, since the controversial release of the Inter-House Manual on 28th October. But it all seemed to be over on December 13th, when the Ministry of Human Resource Development released a mediating statement based on talks between JNU Administration, JNUSU and MHRD. However, are all the stakeholder’s satisfied? Read further to find out.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development after a series of talks with the JNU Administration and the JNU Students’ Union put forward the aforementioned statement. In the statement, the MHRD states that the fee of a single occupant room and the double occupant room remain Rs.300 and Rs.600 respectively. While the BPL or Below Poverty Line students will get a concession of 50% on the fee. All of the costs of utilities and services shall be borne by the University Grant’s Commission or UGC. The MHRD has also directed the administration to adhere by the Delhi High Court’s orders and therefore notify JNUSU. Furthermore, the statement has requested the Academic Council to give the students relaxation of two weeks to compensate for the loss of the academic period. In addition to this, the MHRD has directed the JNU Administration to take a ‘Lenient View’ on the incidents that have occurred since October 2019. Lastly, via this statement, the JNUSU has been directed to stop all kinds of dharnas around the administrative, academic blocks and in the residential areas of the varsity staff. The MHRD has urged both the JNUSU and JNU Administration to take immediate steps for the restoration of the normal functioning of the university. It has also been directed that any further issue shall be resolved only via dialogue as per university statutes.

Talking to us, Musaib Ul Haq, the JNUSU hostel prefect, says, “JNUSU has from the beginning of this protest demanded a full rollback and therefore we reject anything which is short of that. Most of our demands have not been met and apart from that, we demanded the taking back of all the cases against agitating students. However, the statements only use the word ‘lenient action towards the protesting students’ which is why we have maintained that the language used in the notice is just unacceptable. Our slogan for these protests is ‘Complete rollback and not an inch back’ therefore for us the talks are still on and nothing is decided yet. Our movement is still on and it will continue, there is no call back of these protests as of now. Apart from this, there was a meeting with the JNU Administration just yesterday wherein all the senior admin members like the Dean of Students were present. But, as of now the movement has not finished and is still continuing.”

Even though the stakeholders in this issue still do not find themselves on the same page but what has become better is that a deadlock has been broken and the JNUSU and JNU Administration have now started a dialogue. As one of the main issues of the protests since its inception is the lack of communication between the students and the administration. Thus, the solution to this problem now seems to be feasible.

 

Featured Image Credits- ANI

 

Aniket Singh Chauhan

[email protected]

 

 

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DUB Speak

Freedom or Illusion?

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We live in a democratic country with a constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom. Yet are we really free to make our own decisions?

When I ask you the question, “do we have free will”, all of you would have different opinions. However, when I rephrase the same as “are we in control of our actions”, most of you would agree. We tend to believe that our actions are freely chosen by us. I chose to wear a blue hoodie today. This was an action out of free will. But, was it really?

Libertarians’ view of free will suggests that human beings are autonomous and act unfettered from any external control. Our decisions are not influenced by any prior occurrences and we could have chosen differently given the same situation. In simple words, human beings are capable of entirely free actions. 

However, on the contrary, determinists happen to advocate a differing concept. They believe that all events occur as a result of pre-existing causes; nothing other than what does occur could occur. Now, these events may include something like a cart moving after being pushed, or even simply my decision to wear a blue hoodie. Pierre-Simon, Marquis de Laplace, a French scholar, believed that the present state of the universe is the effect of the previous state and the cause of the one to follow it. This simply implies that the world is determined by cause and effect. Even Persian poet, Omar Khayyam, wrote in his collection of quatrains, Rubaiyat- And the first Morning of Creation wrote, What the Last Dawn of Reckoning shall read.

While libertarians may suggest that my decision to wear a blue hoodie today was not influenced by any prior event, hard determinists would question where this independent idea came from in the first place. Was this entirely random? Why did I decide to choose this over any other option? 

Hard determinists believe that all decisions made in our brains are a result of invisible causes that take place in our brains. The synthesis of beliefs along with desire and temperament causes a deliberate human action. For instance, my belief that my hoodie is comfortable and fetching, along with my desire for comfort, and my temperament to stay warm and look attractive, gives rise to my decision to wear the blue hoodie. 

Baron d’Holbach, a German-French philosopher, in his ‘system of nature’, suggests that man like matter, is governed by physical laws; everything is the inevitable result of what came before. For example, a cart moving after being pushed. One may argue that human decisions are not like physical objects and hence should not be bound by physical laws. However, our mental decisions are a result of neurological activities in our brain, which is a biological event in the physical world, hence being deterministic. D’Holbach proposes that the complexity of the sources of our actions makes it impossible to say why we behave as we do in some circumstances, and this inability to identify the causes of our actions encourages the illusion of free will.

So basically, every decision you’ve ever made is just an inevitable result of a combination of a bunch of mental activities. Every decision you’ve ever made has already been determined. 

Happy human rights day!

Feature Image Credits: Human Rights Watch

Aditi Gutgutia
[email protected]

 

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Arts & Culture

A Study in the Idea of Inclusive Curriculum

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Education is the foremost right of all people. Wanting their representation in books shouldn’t be a privilege. This piece aims to highlight the importance of Inclusive Curriculum in modern day schools.

As a society, we’re constantly refusing the ideals of patriarchy and discrimination. It’s imperative to realise, that those ideals could be illustrated in books as well. The curriculum students are taught at colleges or schools act as a medium for to resonate with the world. However, the curriculum taught hasn’t been changed since past many years.

The book assigned to my mother is the one I still have to study now. Curriculum should be periodically updated to ensure its reflecting the current state of society, not how it was a century ago. There’s a huge part of modern day relationships, identities and choice that is completely ignored in this course.

Inclusive curriculum is defined as an approach to course and unit design, and to teaching-learning practice which aims to improve access and successful participation in education of groups traditionally excluded from tertiary education.

This is to show students that there are people just like them in this multicultural society, so they feel better engaged with their schoolwork and can better relate to course materials. If there is no representation of their identity, race, sexuality, religion or nationality embedded within the course, many end up feeling disillusioned and demotivated.

As per the Times report, more than 63% of students cannot relate to the subject being taught in school and feel demotivated instead. For example, its like opening a brown magazine with an extremely fair cover girl with European features. After seeing that magazine, there’s a high chance you might find yourself less beautiful. Just the same way students who are from oppressed communities do not see themselves in the course they study, yet are still expected to comprehend it.

An inclusive curriculum helps them see that all walks of life are relevant and important, and that they are in a safe environment where everyone is not only accepted, but celebrated. People all over the world, are starting to recognise this, and many have started implementing a more inclusive curriculum. They are already seeing positive changes in students, reporting higher rates of achievement and better engagement.

The other aspect of Inclusive Education is to make students familiarise with modern complexities like social media management, financial literacy, scientific temperament, and political ideologies that affects them. It’s an attempt to give an exposure of real life situations to students in these institutions to make them informed citizens.

For you to understand the concept much better, here are few examples of good teaching practice in an inclusive curriculum. Introducing students to LGBTQIA+ literature, about regressive Transgender Bill,supporting female Muslim students in physiotherapy education, teaching capitalism to students of economics, rural geography, auto-ethnic profiling, co-creating the curriculum for fine arts and, history, and faith, spirituality, and social work.

Inclusive curriculum will be a revolutionary tool in modern day education. It will help raising sensitive, kind and socially aware students than cramming expert robots. The education will go far beyond than just acing exams, it will result in informative classroom discussions and will make students more accepting of their flaws and other people. Inclusive curriculum is a great way to raise awareness about and then eventually solve many social evils prevailing in the society.

Feature Image Credits: Vaibhav Tekchandani for DU beat

Chhavi Bahmba 

[email protected] 

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Ad-Hoc Teachers Face Loss of Salaries in Abeyance By DUPA; DUTA Calls for Strike

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Delhi University Principals’ Association (DUPA) decides to put joining of Ad-Hoc teachers in abeyance resulting in loss of livelihood of 4500 teachers, in response to the decision, the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) has launched an indefinite strike. 

On 29th November, 2019, DUPA held a meeting. In the meeting, it was decided that joining of ad-hoc teachers and disbursal of their salaries will be suspended. DUPA has taken this decision on the basis of the 28th August 2019 DU circular, however, the circular only mandates that appointment of guest teachers can be made against only substantive vacancies arising which arise for the first in a given academic session.

 Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, using the 28th August circular, had denied appointment of these teachers on Ad-hoc vacancies, till those vacancies could be filled on permanent basis. Due to this, the vacant position which arise out of resignation/retirement of current teachers were forcefully kept vacant. This hampered many students as many classes have not been met across colleges and departments in this semester.

 Now, The 28th August letter is now being interpreted by the DUPA further to deny livelihood to more than 4500 ad-hoc teachers who are already in service and have been working against substantive posts for past several years. These teachers have been denied their salaries and renewal letters just at the end of this semester. 

 Saikat Ghosh, Member, Standing Committee (Academic Affairs), Academic Council, DU said, “The immediate crisis that is serving Ad-hoc teachers of DU face is due to the active connivance of some influential college principals. They have gone beyond the brief of the 28 August circular and persuaded the DU Principals Association (DUPA) to halt salaries and renewal letters for all serving Ad-hoc teachers. The DUPA’s callous decision is a betrayal of the teachers’ movement at a crucial time when the DUTA is fighting to get permanent appointments and promotions started in right earnest. Teachers are left with no option but to strike back by ceasing all official duties.” 

 In response to the mistreatment of teachers, wherein 4500 teachers have been shown the door, the DUTA has decided to give three working days’ time to the Vice Chancellor to agree to their demand of withdrawing the 28 August letter which has caused all of this ruckus.  

DUTA has said, “If the demand is not met, the teacher body of over 10,000 teachers will go for an Indefinite Strike, starting from Wednesday, 4th December. Teachers will boycott evaluation, invigilation duties and all other official work.” 

In crux of the matter, The 28 August Circular has been manipulated to deny salaries and renewal letters to more than 4500 teachers, leaving them unemployed. Adding to this, the vacancies now created due to dispersal of these teachers will create an instability amidst the entire university and hamper the classes of many students of many departments. 

Feature Image Credits: India TV 

Chhavi Bahmba 

Chhavib@dubeat.com

 

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Interesting Laws to Think About on this National Law Day

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26th November every year is celebrated as the Law Day in India. With its terminology now changed to it being referred as the Constitution Day, here is a piece explaining its significance and bringing ahead some interesting facts about it.

This year marks the 70th commemoration year of adoption of the Constitution of India, which was adopted on 26th November 1949 by the then the Constituent Assembly of India.

The day holds its importance for various reasons, one of the major ones being to bring into public notice the importance of the constitution and others being to spread the thoughts and ideas of various personalities that helped hoping the constitution.

Talking about the day being previously referred to as the ‘National Law Day’, here are some of the interesting laws that still exist in India, which will leave you surprised!

  • The Aircraft Act, 1934

According to the Aircraft Act of 1934, an aircraft has been defined as “any machine which can take support in the atmosphere from the reactions of the air”. Along with this, it mentions of how “balloons, whether fixed or free, kites, airships, flying machines and gliders” come under the bracket and umbrella of being defined as an ‘aircraft’. The Act also talks about how the permission of government is needed in order to use, possess, operate, import or export any aircraft. Thus, along with these lines, it becomes illegal to fly kites and balloons in India prior having a permission and clearance from the Government of India!

  • No Uniform Drinking Age

In India, there exists no common drinking age for the people. With the age bar being 21 years in Tamil Nadu, to 18 in Goa and 25 in Maharashtra, there isn’t a consensus on which age is the ideal legal age for drinking. Making the matters all the more confusing, the age bar differences create more trouble with a different age being set for soft drinks and a different for hard drinks!

  • East Punjab Agricultural Pests, Diseases and Noxious Weeds act, 1949

Delhites, be aware! The above mentioned act is still functional in Delhi. Under this (quirky and indeed very unique!) act, any person who is above the age of fourteen and is considered fit can be summoned by the government through beating drums in order to fight locusts!

  • Treasure Trove Act, 1878

As per the Indian Treasure Trove Act of 1878, if any person discovers anything which holds a value greater than INR 10, then the amount belongs to “Her Majesty” (yes you read that right!) the amount/money/item must be reported. If one fails to do so then the person is liable to punishment, be sent to jail for not reporting it.

At the end of this article, one observes how the colonial hangover still clutches the Indian Laws and legal systems, decades after independence. It is high time now to have laws for the contemporary India, and do away with the ones the British created for us, centuries ago. A new India needs new laws for a better, brighter and beautiful future.

Feature Image Credits: Quora

Amrashree Mishra

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Why are the people of Hong Kong protesting?

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Hong Kong, one of Asia’s largest and most development cities is yet again grappled in tensions. The former British colony which was handed over to China as late as 1997, is struggling to keep its identity and freedoms intact from its ruler, i.e. China.

All this started way back in the late 1600’s because of-believe it or not-tea. The British were essentially hooked to this Chinese beverage for which they were prepared to spend any amount of money. The Chinese emperor only used to take payments for tea exports in silver bricks only, which led to the massive degradation of silver in the British Royal treasury. The solution for this problem led to large scale smuggling of Opium by the British to the Chinese people. The payment for the same was now taken by the British in silver and then this silver was used to pay off for tea imports, hence for the British, their problem was solved. But it is at this instance, that history changed its course. This smuggling led to massive crackdowns by Chinese authorities on these smuggling dens which in turn led to the well-known ‘Opium Wars‘. These wars were ended with the Chinese leasing the islands of Hong Kong to the British for 99 years. Hong Kong which earlier was a small fishing village, had an explosion in its economy under the British and went on to become one of the major economic Asian mega cities. This long British rule also made a significant mark on the people of Hong Kong or Hongkongers. As they mostly speak English and Cantonese as opposed to mainland China wherein Mandarin is the dominant language. Also many popular British sports are still played in Hong Kong like cricket, lawn ball, etc.

Cut to 1997, the 99 year lease finished and the British then handed over Hong Kong to China under the condition of ‘One Party, Two Systems‘. This system said that Hong Kong would retain its political and social autonomy for the next 50 years, i.e. till 2047. Though, this agreement was frowned upon in by communist Chinese in mainland China, it was still agreed upon without any problem as at that time Hong Kong’s own economy was around 25% of that of China, so it made sense, economically. It was also given its own constitution which today is known as the ‘Basic Law‘. This constitution is the basis of the Hong Kong’s political and social systems. It guarantees Hongkongers rights like freedom of speech, freedom of expression, etc. which is in stark contrast to the rights given to mainland Chinese. Though this partial autonomy of Hong Kong was only to be present till the year 2047, after which it’d be fully integrated as a Chinese region. But here is where the problem lies, the Chinese government doesn’t want to wait that long, as Hong Kong today isn’t as economically viable as it used to be in the 90’s due rise of mega Chinese cities in the pearl river delta like Shenzhen, Guangzhou, etc. who today are way more economically productive than Hong Kong which presently contributes to only 3% of the Chinese economy. Thus, it is enforcing its propaganda in Hong Kong increasingly and thus is waging a mental as well as a cultural war. This propaganda ranges from pro-China school textbooks and daily Chinese propaganda shows on TV to forceful teaching of Mandarin in Hong Kong schools.

Coming to the present protests against China, it started in the most classical fashion, a murder, which neither took place in China or Hong Kong but in Taiwan. A Hong Kong man with his girlfriend went to Taiwan, wherein he murdered his girlfriend and fled back to Hong Kong. Now as Hong Kong and Taiwan do not have any extradition agreements, the man, who now has pleaded guilty can’t be tried in Taiwan. Hence, the Hong Kong government to deliver justice to the victim’s family proposed the, now infamous, Extradition Bill. But this is the part where China made a shrewd move, the law not only has proposed extraditions to Taiwan but also to mainland China, the same nation which previously has illegally abducted and extradited Hongkongers who spoke against the Chinese Communist Party or the Chinese government. Another important announcement which was made by Taiwan,  stated that it doesn’t want to be part of any law that includes China. So, the bill effectively now doesn’t provide justice to the family of the murdered girl but instead would give immense power to the Chinese Communist Party or CCP to silence all the critics as it has done with the whole of mainland China before.

The demands of the protesters are as follows: –
1. Complete withdrawal of the proposed Extradition Bill from the legislative process (as opposed to suspension)
2. Retraction of the characterisation of the protests as “riots”. Release and exoneration of arrested protesters
3. Establishment of an independent commission of inquiry into police behaviour
4. Universal suffrage for Legislative Council and Chief Executives elections
5. Resignation of Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam

These demands, though have been taken ‘very seriously‘ by the government but still haven’t been met. Only one demand has been partially met, the bill is now suspended but not completely withdrawn. This according to the protestors isn’t enough as the bill even if proposed in the Hong Kong’s LegCo (Legislative Council) is surely going to pass as the assembly itself is made in such a way that only pro-China parties always form the majority, even though in every election pro-democracy parties have been winning. Even the head of Hong Kong or the Chief Executive of Hong Kong isn’t selected by Hongkongers but is selected and approved by the CCP. The present Chief Executive Carrie Lam thus, doesn’t care about Hong Kong as long as China is happy. Hongkongers are carrying out these protests in a very peaceful manner also, but the Chinese authorities aren’t peaceful at all with their methods as they’ve been using weapons like tear gas grenades and water cannons, also the Chinese authorities have classified this protest as a riot which has resulted into arrests of non-violent protesters and more so Hongkongers. This shows the vulnerability of the Chinese regime which is so scared of an independent population that they go to unforseen and unethical depths to shut such people. The protest now has been going on for more than six months and has witnessed many events. The protestors though were successful in getting the bill withdrawn on 23rd October, but the protest now has broadened to more democratic liberties from China. From Molotov cocktails to turning of the Polytechnic University or PolyU into a battleground, the peaceful protests have now turned violent. Though it should be noted that this violence has grown in the last two months only, before which the protests were largely peaceful. Both sides, i.e. Hongkongers and the Chinese blame each other for the violence. In recent months even pro-China mobs have come out to protest against Hongkongers itself. Thus, till now no possible ending of the protests is insight.

So, these people who are on the streets every weekend (as they work on weekdays) are fighting for their freedom and rights, they are fighting for fairness, justice and most importantly they are fighting for their own self-respect. As long as Hong Kong and its people stand in the way, they won’t let the Chinese regime to take away their freedoms from them so easily or any time before 2047.

Feature Image Credits: Jerome Favere

Aniket Singh Chauhan

[email protected]

 

 

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