Being the largest democracy of the world, India gives liberty to its citizens to decide their political inclination. However, if one chooses to be apolitical, they must not turn a blind eye to what is morally right and what is wrong.
It has been weeks since educational institutions all over the country decided to unite against the discriminatory tendencies of the ruling Government by organizing protests and marches at a variety of locations. The grounds that bind all of these protests and marches together are the fights against the exclusivity of Muslims, Hindu fascism and the marginalization of several communities.
Students from numerous educational institutions have shown solidarity with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI). Not a few years ago, most universities and colleges preferred to side with that political option which would save them from ‘troubles’, but over the years, students have widened their political views and are actively participating in protests and demonstrations because a collective voice is what we need to bring changes in this unjust system.
In light of the tense political environment of our country, many social media personalities, actors, and stand up comedians had attended different protests in different cities to support the students of JNU and JMI. These countrywide protests saw the footfall of thousands of students. Moreover, some students claimed to have attended protests for the ‘fear of missing out’ or as some may call it, FOMO.
There is no doubt about the fact that social media played a huge role in uniting all the students together, and since these media personalities have a large number of followers, majority of them being students, the political scenario has changed drastically over the years. These students are taking more interest in politics and are engaging in debates as well. There are still a few colleges who chose to remain apolitical. Students of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College (SGTB Khalsa) called the apolitical stance of their College cowardly and ignorant, as no official solidarity statement was released by the Students’ Union.
Image credits- Mashable India
Suhani Malhotra