From the Ramjas staffroom

Once you start marching to tune of ‘Left Right, Left Right’, you’re mostly marching, not thinking critically

I WISH TO present Ramjas College as a text. It is true the college has been the epicentre of certain events over the past few days. A seminar was called off. Ideological battle lines were drawn. There was violence. Consequently, many newsworthy narratives spun out of these events. The present analysis will try to look beyond those events. Moments dissipate, texts remain.

Readers would, right at the outset, wish to ask, why Umar Khalid (a JNU PHD scholar), was invited to speak at the seminar. The correct answer is what George Mallory said when asked why he wished to climb the Everest. He replied, “Because it’s there.” Or more brazenly, “Why not?” Having said that, I, as a teacher in Ramjas College, wish to state that this does not necessarily imply that the college subscribes to Umar’s political views. But while we may not support his politics, we certainly support his rights. We support his rights because we believe our own rights are best protected when we protect the rights of others. That is the essence of a progressive democratic polity. In any case, he was invited to be part of a panel where he was to present his work on Bastar, the subject of his PHD work. Could he have made politically contentious points while speaking on Bastar? Most certainly, he could. But that’s exactly why we host seminars. To hear, to learn, to respond, to contest, to challenge, and perhaps at times, even agree!

The second question that might be asked of us is this: Is this a JNU moment, is this a repeat of February, 9, 2016? I wish to assert unequivocally that it is not. I teach a class of B Com students. A straw poll taken in class recently revealed almost 100 per cent support for the government, note ban and its economic policies (this was in the context of group discussion preparatory classes on business and the economy). After the recent incidents of violence, the same cohort of people was afraid of the muscular nationalism on display.

In JNU, the battle lines are drawn. There was no such line here. But the violence that transpired, the sight of brawny activists invoking Bankim’s call (that Tagore so feared)