apolitical Archives - DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper

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

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Campus Central

The Importance of Channelization of Dissent in Apolitical Campuses

By Avni Dhawan January 17, 2020

Emphasising the significance of dissent in educational institutions, by illustrating the experiences of individuals in public and private universities across India.

There is a certain dynamic energy at display in the protests growing in universities across India; loud declarations calling out the law and order as well as the incumbent government, a complicit administration and those who continue to have their apolitical stances flourish in an environment of burgeoning discrimination and prejudice. The very fact that reading of the preamble and singing the national anthem in a University space has become a symbol of dissent, speaks volumes about the clampdown the authorities want to impose in educational institutions. But this time; the story, the goals and the dissemination is different. There’s a visible change in the air of erstwhile apolitical campuses, which have risen up in solidarity with those marginalised in this country.

Students of Jesus and Mary College (JMC), University of Delhi (DU) have led a silent protest outside the college campus every day since 8th January 2020. They stand against Citizen Amendment Act (CAA), police brutality, campus violence and in support with those being persecuted throughout the nation. This is a welcome change from the apolitical attitude of students in JMC, a women’s college which continues to not be associated to Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU).

Anoushka Tiwari, a Journalism student at Sophia College for Women, University of Mumbai explained that it is the nature of her course that allows her peers to be invested in the politics of daily life, and comprehend the importance of protests in current times. Reading the preamble has become a bi-weekly ritual in college, and those of her classmates who didn’t indulge in politics before have realised the importance of educating themselves and standing up. She expressed her joy at Mumbai colleges emerging from their apolitical cocoons on the streets, using their privilege to dissent.

A lot is to be said about the ideologies and power structure of the administration prevalent in universities, which restrict the expression of dissent, with threats of expulsion and suspension. In such spaces, the use of authority is being challenged by students, who have come to recognize that the very thread or our constitution is at stake.

Bhumica Veera, a student at NMIMS KPM School of Law expressed her dismay over students of private universities being coerced into not releasing or deleting solidarity statements, which she explained is against the right of every student to dissent. “Till today we’ve not been given a written document signed by our dean telling us which exact rule have we violated? Nor have we been verbally told about it. When we asked what exactly constitutes as a political statement, we were given no verbal/written responses.” The students then proceeded to release a statement, quoting, “We will agitate. We will debate. We will question. It is our future. Stop patronizing and start listening. Maybe you’ll finally know why the kids aren’t alright. After all, we will outlive you”

Statement of students of NMIMS KPMSOL, against CAA and campus violence.

Image Credits: Bhumica Veera for NMIMS KPMSOl

“The students have risen up, finally. The students are the opposition. The students will resist, resist, resist.”

Feature Image Credits: Sanna Singh

Paridhi Puri
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DUB Speak

Apoliticality – A Conscious Choice

By DU Beat September 18, 2018

Apoliticality is simply a state of being politically neutral, unbiased, non-aligned and free from party politics. It does not mean indifference and ignorance.

If we were to go back to ages past our own, we could easily notice the most pervasive aspect of politics playing through them all. Politics as a subject has excited human intellect for eons; because of its direct correspondence with power. Where once Politics was a means to achieve power for the purpose of practising a change, it has today become the end. Power is sought for the privilege it fulfills, the prerogatives that it promises, and not because it gives a certain grasp on change. It is expected to see the political indifference of a lot of people in our country, for the similar realisation. The truth is in our face, clearer than ever, and while some flee away from the promising vanity of it, some choose to act. So then, what is the best course of action? Is escapism ever a choice? Is escapism synonymous to apoliticality? We can know these answers, for once if we ask ourselves.

In all forms of politics, a diametric opinion is formed. Despite a wide representation, there are only a couple of political parties that stand their ground in public opinion in India. We saw it in the recent DUSU elections – the youth’s response to student politics. After an actively effective campaigning, the results have arrived, and rightly, not to the best of everyone’s interests. This is what politics teaches us, in fact, asserting your ideas with conviction is the true sense of it. Voters cannot be forced into believing in an ideology by the use of force. This decision must form internally. But all of us witnessed the gifts of various political parties this election season to gain favors of students. Why do we need an incentive to vote, an upheaval that reminds us that we must vote? Apoliticality is not about my refusal to vote, it is my conscious choice that I decide the candidate whom I give my vote to, on the basis of his/her merit. My perspective is skewed because I mean to make it so, not because a candidate gave me a movie ticket.

It is mistaken that people who do not indulge directly in politics do not know a lot of it to comment or offer suggestions. It is not true. Politics is increasingly becoming administrative in nature, but in that, we seem to forget that politics is a faculty of the human mind; it mandates human intervention. But most of us do not participate actively in politics because it has been stigmatised. We keep forgetting that it is made up of people, and people at times can be fickle, can be biased and can be disappointing. It is the people who make politics, but sadly, we see the becoming of this statement otherwise.

Our disassociation with politics is a choice. And all choices are not in the best taste. Sometimes, even if you are the most apolitical person, you will be dragged into politics against your choice. Today, we cannot exist in seclusion. Hence, indifference is not a choice. Apoliticality must be. The state of being unbiased, a state that requires you to be yourself. And what’s better than being yourself?

Feature Image Credits: Harvard Divinity Bulletin

Kartik Chauhan
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