Guest Post by Pratim, Gargi and Lenin.
As writers, historians, scientists, film makers, poets, actors and others return their awards in protest against the rising intolerance and anti-rational climate in this country, we in JNU keep stocking up accolades of a different kind. These accolades are ones which are very generously gifted to us from the RSS and its affiliates. These accolades come in more than fifty shades, only highlighting the deep seated trouble that these folks have in seeing this University up to them, despite their attempts to tarnish it. A few days back the ever-so-absurd/islamophobic/irrational Subramaniam Swamy endowed JNU students with the honours of being ‘Jehadis’, ‘Naxal’ and ‘Anti-National’.
Now as we, the academic community in JNU fight back against the recent gift of the UGC and MHRD to cut back scholarships to researches, the RSS’s mouthpiece Panchjanya has in its latest issue, showered us with some more accolades. It says that JNU is a place where there is an anti-national block and gives legitimacy to anti-national forces. We in JNU welcome such a charge because we have always worn such accolades as a badge of honour because it reflects how a University of 8000 students manages to shake up the men in Khaki shorts, yielding a stick and brandishing a treasure of ignorance and prejudice. These guys are the ‘Make in India’ versions of Hitler and Mussolini’s Fascism and when they forward such arguments, it only make us strong in upholding the politics that dreams of a democratic, secular, egalitarian and socially just India.
What makes us Anti-National though, we may still ask? Is it that JNU cherishes a culture that at its roots, strives to question the old order, the old faith which garbs all kinds of oppression? Or is it the fact that this University and its Students Union (the JNUSU) stood up against Indira Gandhi and her Emergency, just as we are standing up to the undeclared Emergency that their beloved Modi is enforcing. Is it anti-national to stand up for the rights of the students in this country while the present government cuts back on each one of them? Or is it anti-national to dream of a truly democratic, socially just and egalitarian India?
If all of this makes us Anti-National, then we are proud to be Anti-Nationals because we reject the kind of Nationalism that the RSS peddles. If according to the RSS Nationalism means throwing of ink, killing minorities, manufacturing riots, throwing all dissenters to Pakistan, cutting funds in education and changing the Constitution of this country, we are sorry but we do not share your idea of Nationalism. We do not believe in the Nationalism which wears a 10 lakh suit while cutting down funds for the people of this country. We also do not believe in a nationalism which is on flight mode, selling the resources of this country to the rich and mighty abroad. We believe in the Nationalism of Babasaheb Ambedkar and dream of a nation where all prejudices are defeated, where democracy, secularism and equality is established and where each and everyone is respected; bound by dignity, self-respect and fraternity.
Finally, we the proud Anti-Nationals of JNU stand shoulder to shoulder with the Anti-Nationals across this country, whether it is the protesting students, artists, intellectuals, teachers, farmers, workers across the country or the villagers in Modi’s adopted village of Jayapur who voted against him in the recent polls. Time and again the RSS and its affiliates have tried to cast aspersions on JNU and even claimed of bombing it as Ashok Singhal had once said, but we stand tall with our head held high as does the rest of the country that stand by its democratic and secular ethos. To the RSS, probably the only way you can stop or destroy us is by bombing JNU. Until then think about how you will transfer so many of us, anti-nationals, to Pakistan.
Pratim, Gargi and Lenin are proud Anti-Nationals, and students at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi (JNU)
KAFILA - COLLECTIVE EXPLORATIONS SINCE 2006 
Bravo! as an alumnus of JNU I’d say may you continue to get such “accolades” from fascists. There is a point about Nationalism though that I’d like to make. Being nationalistic is not necessarily something to aspire to in my opinion. I think what one may aspire to is a humane, and just citizen of this country while being a global citizen standing up for peace, justice and equity. During the Independence struggle nationalism was necessary but in today’s times it is divisive.
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Madam, if you cannot sacrifice your individuality for the sake of family, society or nation, in that order, you would do nothing for the humanity, except using hollow words. The charity begins at home. JNU has done the greatest harm to the oppressed people by preparing elites who talk of revolution by the proletariat, freedom of expression, civil society, progressive outlook etc without meaning or even understanding these words. Just look at JNU and a state University in UP. While you will find the self appointed protagonists of poor and down trodden in JNU, you will find poor and downtrodden in the state University. What a paradox! Who these so called intellectuals are! Mostly privileged individuals who were wealthy enough to train in Marxism in West and come back and speak for poor of India whom they have never known or understood. They cannot tolerate a poor and illiterate worshipping a tree, a bird or sky or whatsoever for his/her inner peace, because these intellectual have acquired the capital of wisdom in addition to that of wealth, power and honors. And when revolt happens against them, and not for them or inspired by them, they are shocked, they are bewildered. Now they are shouting that they have no freedom of speech! They cannot see the contradiction. Madam, just name one individual who has excelled in science or humanities, or even in politics, or is serving humanity after his/her education in JNU. On the other hand I can cite numerous who studied in impoverished Universities and came up. Please be honest for a moment and look at the reality. A poor, low caste individual is PM of India and upper caste, elites educated in JNU and elsewhere and proclaiming themselves as protectors of poor are agitating against him! Why JNU could not produce a Marxist Modi has to be pondered by those who have Marxist soul and not just outfit,
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“”Madam, just name one individual who has excelled in science or humanities, or even in politics, or is serving humanity after his/her education in JNU.”” What????? Start here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehru_University#Notable_alumni
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They shall find a place in Kaikaya Desha and not modern Pakistan for all of us, let us accept this invitation
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Patriotism is a favorite device of persons in India with something to sell;
A true patriot honors all nations;
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This government should do something to demolish this pseudo intellectual, leftist den in the center of Delhi. What have they done, how many skilled students does JNU have given to the society. Ask any common man on the street for his choice between JNU and DU/IIT/IIM’s, the response will be enough to open the eyes of these Lenin inspired Naxalites. All the anti national people, Kashmiri separatist and the naxals are treated like harbinger of peace. Shame on you JNU…
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If ‘anti-despotism’, anti-repression’, anti-dictorship’, and anything against the ruling class is ‘anti-national’, do not afraid to be so, for, all the world knows that you are “pro-peace” and “pro-freedom loving” citizens of the world. Writers like Goldsmith, W. H. Auden ideas are on your side…
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I am proud of you young boys. Keep this spirit alive in JNU. Hurrah
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LET THE FLAG FLY HIGH JNU.PEOPLE ARE WITH YOU.RSS AND SANGH PARIWAR WANT BHRAMINISTIC NATION.WE IN TAMILNADU UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF E.V.R PERIYAAR KEPT THESE PEOPLE AT A DISTANCE.FOR THIS YOU HAVE ALSO TO FOLLOW HIM.WE ARE PROUD OF JNU REALY
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The luxury of staying circumscribed within a manufactured monopoly of ideals and monotonous dogma is not dangerous and misleading for students merely because it directs them towards an erroneous utopia of the highest order, but more because it has no commitment to converting words into an agenda of action.The revolutionaries of JNU campus are in permanent denial.
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Defending JNU against the right is fine. But where does JNU stand in terms of academic achievement and how does it compare with other/similar institutions. The quality of institutions in India is so low that even mediocre institutions appear to be heavens of excellence.
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I hope this resistance goes on for at least another 10 years (OK make that 8 and a half years).
Regards
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The culture here has been such that when we speak we stand tall so that any dissenters of statement made may reach and discuss the issues. I am taking this matter to ask who is the ‘former student of JNU’,and would like to understand the vantage point through which he/she speaks.
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JNU is a den of vice and home to subversive elements. Its a pity that young minds there are brainwashed in outdated shibboleths and learn about revolution and democracy and secularism and egalitarianism and not at all about hard work or the need to equip oneself with a useful trade. Too much political nonsense and too little by way of employable skills and the attitudes that go with them. Is it any winder tthat JNU students end up blaming the system and tilting at windmills instead of picking themselves up and becoming useful, productive members of society? They are forever in agitational mode. Some education, this! Nehru will be turning in his grave, poor chap.
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shame on yourself jnu students to call yourself students un logo se jakar milo who are from those terrorist attacks and bomb blast who have lost their families their kids in front of them due to these terrorist jinki tum gaande chaat rahe ho
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I do not get the version of RSS nationalism/ Let there be no doubt about that. But nowadays i do not get the version of JNU nationalism either. One talks to throw anti- nationalists to Pakistan, the other talks to dis-root the whole nation in the first place. One wears 10 Lakh rupee suits while cutting down the funds for researches. The other one on the other hand, spreads communism and nothing else. I have a real hard time decide the true nature of nationalism. As much as my understanding goes, nationalism is a feeling which brews in the heart of a ‘nationalist’, which creates a common pride for the ‘nation’ they inhibit. In the whole discussion, all i find is Nation sitting on the back benches and other agendas, agendas of personal gratification taking up the front row. I am sorry to tell you sir, you are not a Nationalist. Don’t know about RSS,. you are most. certainly not a nationalist Your brand of nationalism has engulfed half of this nation in a perennial war with ourselves in the heart of India. Your version of Nationalism has done no good to India ever. The best, your version of nationalism have only stopped India from getting worse. In fact, your version of nationalist just makes me think that one fine day, in order to get this nation forward, one would have to cede this feeling and then move ahead.
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