The shocking violence at JNU is a stinging indictment of its administration, Delhi Police and the intolerant political culture seeping into student politics. The attackers, whichever group they belong to, should swiftly be brought to justice. College campuses should be allowed to remain safe spaces for students of all ideologies.
Kejriwal’s hands-off conduct over JNU is hypocritical, shows him as a convenient politician
Arvind Kejriwal’s staying clear of violence-hit JNU and Jamia by blaming the Centre for Delhi Police smacks of hypocrisy. ‘Do we want such a helpless CM?’ he had asked when Sheila Dikshit cited lack of power over police. His posture now exposes him as just another practitioner of convenient politics.
Consider banning the so called youth wings of all political parties from University and College campuses. People can be political outside campuses if they want. One doesn’t need to politically affiliate oneself to talk about/ discuss issues on campus. One can nominate student representatives from each major, if required, to create some sort of student body.
The other view would be to trust the young, who are old enough to vote and marry. Politics is something they need to understand because it shapes the world in which they must make their careers. However, if a youth wing has violence embedded in its DNA, your suggestion should be acted upon. Slogans like Goli maaro saalon ko do not belong on a university campus. Anywhere else, either.
It is not looking good for Delhi Police, either heads or tails. The malevolent view is that they provided a benign environment for the masked hoods to wreak havoc, concluding in allowing them to walk away unhindered. Several hours of inaction, followed by a futile flag march after it was all over. The other interpretation is that they waited like decent Englishmen for the Vice Chancellor to formally invite them into the campus. That acknowledges that the physical violence took place because of their inaction. Even as desperate pleas for assistance were being made from faculty and students trapped inside the campus. 2. One would expect the CP to lead his men from the front. Whether he should have visited JNU, taken charge, is a matter of professional judgment. One does not recall ever having seen him on TV screens although so many incidents have taken in Delhi, when he could have been a calming, reassuring presence.
If one may – as a briefless barrister – argue for CM Arvind Kejriwal, he senses large tectonic plates in motion. Beyond the small confines of his city state. There is the smell of change in the air. Unlike in 2014, when he ventured to Varanasi, he knows all this is far above his pay grade. His government has given a decent account of itself, despite boulders being strewn in its path. 2. The shocking incidents at JNU cannot be laid at his door. A constable in Delhi Police would not listen to him, even the salute will be half hearted. So if there are shards of broken glass, splotches of blood on the floor, let others mop them up.