Student Protests

Introduction
Whether it is desirable or not, politics affects every aspect of human lives.

In economic sphere- industries, corporates, infrastructure development is all guided
by and has a direct effect because of the political policies and practices. Political
patronage provides immense benefits to people of a religious community. Politics
controls the creativity of our singers, filmmakers and actors and what they can or
cannot say. It even impacts, or often controls, our personal lives – the number of
children we can have (in China for example), the food that we can eat, the dress we
can wear etc.
Here we have a strong argument from those who support student politics.They
argue that if politics governs our life in every sphere,how can our nation’s
youth remain untouched from politics.If they are to be given an all-round
development so they can face the world well-prepared, how can their
participation in politics be banned? College politics, they say, also gives a
chance to those who are genuinely capable of running this country’s
government; so that power doesnot go into the hands of those with solely
muscle power and family name. Furthermore, democracy can run effectively in
our nation when the power of dissent is given to all and dissent is shown in the
way of protests by university students.
Yet another view holds that politics in universities gives rise to the formation of
various student unions on campus which are supported by different political
parties and these student unions, in the name of dissent and freedom of
speech& thoughts, encourage violence and anarchy on campus.
Examples
How can we forget (incidents quoted from Wikipedia)

1. “On 9 February 2016, some students of Jawaharlal Nehru
University (JNU) held a protest on their campus against the capital
punishment meted out to the 2001 Indian Parliament
attack convict Afzal Guru, and Kashmiri separatist Maqbool Bhat.
The organizers of the event were former members of the
Democratic Students Union (DSU).The event was held despite the
University administration withdrawing permission for the event
shortly before it was due to begin, due to protests by members of
the Hindu nationalist student union ABVP. The event saw clashes
between various student groups. A video was circulated by Indian
news channel Zee news in which a small group of individuals,
whom a later investigation described as outsiders to the University
wearing masks, shouted "anti-India" slogans.”
Such cases raise an even bigger question, when several student unions are
formed within campus, won’t their clashes cause an irreparable damage to the
prestige and administration of the institution?
“Four days after the event, JNU Students' Union President Kanhaiya
Kumar was arrested by the Delhi police and charged with sedition. Two
other students were arrested soon afterwards, including Umar Khalid.
The arrests drew heavy criticism from many sections of society, on the
grounds that the Bharatiya Janata Party government was attempting to
silence political dissent. Thousands of students, faculty, and staff
protested the arrest at JNU, and classes at the University were stopped
for several days. The arrest was also criticized by a number of prominent
scholars internationally. Protests against the arrests were held in
the University of Delhi, Jadavpur University, Osmania University,Aligarh
Muslim University, Panjab University and University of Kerala.
Investigations into the incident were carried out by the Delhi government
and the University administration. Both found that the controversial
slogans had been shouted by outsiders to the University. The arrested
students were all granted bail.”
Were the sedition charges apt or just an attempt by the government to

curb dissent? Were the slogans purposely introduced into the scene in
order to provide a means to the authorities to arrest the students who
were putting a differing opinion?
2. Students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University gathered in

December to protest against the CAA and the NRC.
“As a result of the ongoing protests on campus on 5 January 2020, more

than 50 masked people armed with rods, sticks and acid attacked the
campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, and injured more than 39
students and teachers. Many students received serious injuries.
Professors who tried to intervene and protect the students, as well as
ambulances carrying injured individuals, were attacked. Eyewitnesses
stated that police within the campus did not intervene to stop the mob.
After attacking residents of the university campus for three hours, the
mob escaped; none of its members was arrested or detained. 36
students were left injured.”
Was the attack planned by the ruling party and executed by

the student union that supports its ideology? Was the attack
a planned tactic to curb dissent? Or was it planned by an
anarchic student body with a different set of ideologies?
3.“On 13 December 2019, the students of Jamia Millia Islamia

University undertook a march to the Parliament protesting against
the CAA. They were prevented from going ahead by the police
who used batons and tear gas to disperse the protesters leading
to clashes with them. Fifty students were detained by the police
after the clash. According to the students, police attacked the
peaceful protesters with stones and batons, in which several
students were injured. The students then retaliated with
stones.Police denied the allegations claiming that after the
protesters were prevented from taking their march forward they
attacked the policemen with stones, after which the police used
tear gas shells. Several students were injured in a baton charge.”
“The Jamia Millia Islamia attack refers to the forceful entry by Delhi
police into the Jamia Millia Islamia university during a confrontation
with student protesters that started outside the campus on 15
December 2019. Hundreds of police officers forcefully entered the
campus and detained more than a hundred students during the
confrontation with the protesters. The police used batons and tear
gas to disperse protesters. The police also entered the university
library and washrooms and in the process of the violence ransacked
parts of it. The visuals of students being dragged and assaulted by
the police were telecast by news channels. About two hundred
people were injured and were admitted to AIIMS and the Holy Family
Hospital.”
It isn’t really clear whether the police violently curbed the protests of
a peaceful body of students, or the student body was the one that
started the violence. Isn’t this state of absolute chaos concerning?
The second and third incidents took place only a few months
ago.These are fresh cases and they clearly highlight the current
situation filled with anger and chaos. The most frightening part is
that these are the cases from India’s top universities situated in the
capital. If the capital is in such a chaos, the situation of the other less
reported parts can be far more concerning.
There is yet another point to make. During student protests, as the

one at JNU opposing fee hike, charges against the students are made
by the university administration and the government of acts of
vandalism on public property and use of violence for pressing their
demands on those at the top.
Are the protesters peaceful most of the times and wrongly framed?
Or is our youth truly loosing patience and the power to hear a ‘no’ at
times?Are the terms ‘ahinsa’ and truthfulness actually leaving the
company of our student protests?
Conclusion-
It wouldn’t be inappropriate to say that the subject at hand is the
one filled with confusion and chaos. Lack of proper evidence makes it
extremely difficult to reach a conclusion. However, certain pertinent
questions need addressal-
Q1. Can one truly hope for an impartial governance without free
student participation in politics?
Q2. Isn’t it unclear whether these reported incidents are a picture of
anarchy by the students or dictatorship by the authorities?
Q3. Isn’t unquestioned obedience the path leading towards
maddening dictatorship?
Q4. Is there any way possible to ensure a healthy balance?
And the most important point is not whether the demands of the
students are appropriate or not.
It is not whether these demands should be fulfilled or not.
The concern is whether peaceful protests in this democracy are
acceptable anymore; and whether or not these protests are actually
conducted in a peaceful and constitutional manner?

Student Protests

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Introduction

Whether it is desirable or not, politics affects every aspect of human lives.

How can we forget (incidents quoted from Wikipedia)

Were the sedition charges apt or just an attempt by the government to

2. Students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University gathered in

“As a result of the ongoing protests on campus on 5 January 2020, more

Was the attack planned by the ruling party and executed by

3.“On 13 December 2019, the students of Jamia Millia Islamia

There is yet another point to make. During student protests, as the

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