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<DEFANGED_div><em>Following is a blog-post from </em><a href="http://jnuchronicles.blogspot.com"><em>http://jnuchronicles.blogspot.com</em></a><em>. The author who, referred to in my post on JNU </em><a href="http://http://www.nomadings.blogspot.com/">
<em>here</em></a><em>, describes himself as a liberal and hates "the left ideology of branding any non lefty as a right winger". </em></DEFANGED_div>
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<DEFANGED_div><em>Interestingly, his "discontent" with JNU, by his own admission reflects a on a divide between the Science and the Arts and Humanities courses. This perhaps has something to do with the fact that many students who study Science at JNU (or any other university for that matter) are or were aspirants for an engineering degree from an IIT or likewise...
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<DEFANGED_div><strong>The Sanctuary</strong></DEFANGED_div>
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<DEFANGED_div>There is a very little known sanctuary in New Delhi. It is a home for a variety of birds, Neelgais, civet cats (according to the Anandbazzar Patrika) and dodos. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, dodos, albeit of the ideological variety. Booze fuelled Marxists and pot fired Maoists. Wondering where this place is? Well, you know that for sure; in fact you might have been there sometimes as well. Its called JNU, the "Jawaharlal Nehru University".
<br><br>Want to take a tour of this mystical place? You will need a guide for that. I am always at your service for that purpose. <font style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff33">But before you accept my services, let me tell you something about myself. Call me "the spectator", for I am rather detached from campus politics. I belong to one of the few non-communist Schools of the University, come from a middle-class background and can be loosely described as an individualist or a libertarian. I am a 'sciencee' proper and don't know much about Political "Science".
<br></font><br>If you have still retained my services after learning all this, then let's start the tour. I am sure that the Neelgais and the civet cats you'll handle on your own; so let me begin with the dodos and their highly interesting and at times thoroughly outrageous activities. They are collectively known as communists, Marxists, commies, etc., but thinking them as a "collective" is the first big mistake that an outsider makes. Their internal struggles are as intense as their struggle against the 'class enemies'. A most interesting phenomenon is the suitability of the environment of this sanctuary for their survival and procreation. While the world over this species is either extinct or on the verge of extinction, their population in JNU has increased to such an alarming extent that the niche called the "political space" has been completely monopolized by them.
<br><br>The dodos can be broadly classified into three subspecies. On the extreme right is the SFI-AISF (Students Federation of India-All India Students Federation). Once the dominant subspecies, nowadays their dominance is being undone by the activities of their "godfather" CPI(M) in West Bengal. Though absolutely nauseating in their home ranges of West Bengal (and maybe in Kerala as well, but I don't know for sure), here they exist as peace-loving herbivores. The midsection is marshalled by AISA (All India Students Association), the second subspecies. They are known for their sense of balance, tightrope walking skills and the skill of making the most of any given situation, and creating situations which they can make most out of. The third, and the most aggressive sub-species, which inhabits the far-left corners of the political space, is the most ironically named DSU (Democratic Students Union), the 'more radical than thou' banned young guns of a banned naxalite outfit who do not believe in democracy altogether. Visitors are cautioned that this particular sub-specie is extremely aggressive and can explode with dire consequences at the slightest provocation.
<br><br>Let me show you some of their antics. They have brought out a pamphlet (unsigned, as usual) regarding the soon to be conducted re-elections for the post of Councillor of the School of Social Sciences, and I quote: "Nandigram has exposed the anti-people nature of
<em>all</em> parliamentary forces, and <em>all</em> forms of parliamentary politics" (the italics aren't my addition, the are so in the pamphlet as well). While this statement is detestable, what follows is darkly comical- "Its time we vote politically…Let's make a choice now…and decisively vote against parliamentarism, its practitioners, its defenders, and all those who try to justify this oppressive system." The pamphlet concludes by urging the people to "Vote and Elect VANESSA for the SSS Councillor".
<br><br>I don't know if someone has ever tried to explain to them that if you are against parliamentary democracy, you boycott elections, not contest them. Or that if it weren't for the (relatively) liberal democratic system that governs this country, being 'underground' wouldn't have been fashionable (everyone knows who they are), but necessary. They should be thankful that they haven't been thrown into a dungeon in some concentration camp for dissidents, which was a standard practice in the nations ruled by their beloved leaders.
<br><br>I am surprised at the extent to which they can go and yet get away scot-free. Sometime back, they have started a movement deploring the move to create digital archives for the School of Arts and Aesthetics with corporate funding. The project is supposed to be supported by the TATAs or by the Ford Foundation or some other corporate donor. Now, the DSU has problem with anything and everything that is not named "Peoples Revolutionary XYZ" or something similar. But it does it give them the license to level baseless allegation against anyone at will? Sample this poster (again unsigned, bearing only the name of the organization), "The Ford Foundation, in close collaboration with the CIA, has been at the forefront of the capitalist and imperialist propaganda in the Post-War period, especially in third world countries… Why is Ford Foundation interested in funding campuses? To own, control, commodify, and market knowledge, education, art and culture. Particularly in the field of art and culture, to 'preserve' and marginalized (sic) art forms as dead artifacts that no longer evolve, a museum exhibit with no dynamism, no living relevance… Funds from the state for education are rolled back at the behest of the World Bank and the 'philanthropic' imperial foundation it spawns. The government refuses to fund education on the pretext of lack of funds. Then Ford and assorted fronts of imperialist institutions step in and offer funds. They may not make us pay for the archive, dictate terms to us immediately, or try to influence our research right now…but they have deep pockets and long term plans. What they 'give' they take back many times more." I don't know much law, but instinct says that this is enough for a libel suit.
<br><br>Along with the poster, a pamphlet (again unsigned) dated 8th April 2007 was published under the heading "Of funds and foundations: What is wrong with corporate funding in education and research?" Excerpts from that pamphlet "From a reading of the history of 'philanthropic' international intuitions, be it Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Bill Gates Foundation and the likes, it is apparent that that they have worked worldwide, closely with imperialist regimes in the post-War period to propagate and legitimize the worldwide hegemony of imperialism, particularly
U.S. imperialism… International monetary institutions such as the World Bank, IMF, WTO; foundations, NGOs…have been used to buy out and silence voices of dissent, to destroy resistance. Peoples movements have been subverted and replaced with the NGO brand of 'conflict management' between the oppressor and the oppressed… Three particularly oppressed sections of the Indian society: women, dalits and adivasis have been particularly targeted by these foundations for funding. This is because all three are important components of a movement for basic change in society." Thankfully, the pamphlet does not mention other social sections/groups as alternative recipients for funding so that their constituency is not encroached upon. If the most oppressed and underprivileged are not to be helped, then who are? Sounds like abusing the firemen for putting out a fire, which would have fetched a large insurance amount ONLY if it had burned down the house completely and killed at least half the occupants in the process.
<br><br>So this was the DSU. If you are asking how are they surviving in the heart of civilization, then I'm sorry to say that I don't have an answer. As I said earlier, the environment of this sanctuary is particularly conducive to their survival. Perhaps because it is the only University in the country (except the wild east cowbelt) where you can accuse the VC of embezzlement (without proof), hold the Registrar hostage for hours in the most humiliating fashion and get away with it. More of that later.
</DEFANGED_div><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Fahad Mustafa<br>26 Narmada Apartments<br>Alaknanda<br>New Delhi, 110019<br>Phone:+91-9818893784<br> ****<br>ragon mein daudtey rahney ke ham nahin qayal<br>jo aankh se hi na tapka woh lahoo kya hai
<br><br><a href="http://www.nomadings.blogspot.com/">http://www.nomadings.blogspot.com/</a>