The violence at JNU is shameful. An academic institution is a sacred place that must have zero tolerance for any form of thuggery.
Forget the usual left vs right student union battles and the blame game that’s going on. To see students and faculties being struck with rods and sticks is appalling and marks a new low in lumpenism on campuses. The fact that the Delhi Police and the admin didn’t act swiftly is just as unacceptable and suggests that those involved have no fear of getting caught.
The Delhi Police comes under the direct supervision of the union home ministry. Our Home Minister, Amit Shah, is someone who often refers to dissenters who raise anti-government slogans as ‘urban Naxals’ and ‘tukde tukde’ gang.
Today, I want to ask the HM: what would he call the masked persons who entered the campus and committed acts of violence? Enough of the statements expressing concern, it’s time to act now. All those responsible for the violence must be arrested, and their links, if any, with any political group, even if associated with the ruling party, must be made public.
Heads must roll too: a VC who can’t guarantee security on campus for the staff and students must go right away, as must the officers who failed their duty. No one wants this ‘new’ India, which is being repeatedly spoken by PM. Fight your ideological battles, but do it through debate, not rods.
Forget bashing the ‘Khan Market gang’, first act against the gang which defiled one of our country’s premier institutes. Else the mask will have only fallen in the eyes of right-thinking citizens. I would be pleased to repeatedly say that these are the students only who condemn the violence in a democracy in the name of vote-bank and upcoming Delhi election.
Had it been an attack on a daughter or son of someone who’s in the ruling party, someone must have been arrested by now. But this is yet to be done even after four FIRs and 30 hours of brutal violence—resembling a perfect, strategical terrorist attack on students and public institutions. It’s not an issue of left vs right anymore. Instead, it’s right vs wrong, of which, the government should take serious note.