JNU fire reaches Jadavpur University, situation handled by teachers

In recent few days, a sense of anti-nationalism has been evoked around the country, when some students of the reputed educational institute, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), raised slogans against the country and in the favor of terrorist Afzal Guru. They raised slogans like, ‘Bharat ki barbadi tak jung rahegi, jung rahegi’, ‘Bharat ke hazar tukde hokar rahenge’. All these fuelled fire across the country and media, while individuals have a different opinion regarding this.

Kanahaiya Kumar, student leader of JNU got arrested after a few days of protest. Many journalists and politicians came to defend him by saying government can’t take away the constitutional right of freedom speech while people in the support of the government said any speech which is against the nation can’t be tolerated.

It was not over when another report came from one famous university of West Bengal, Jadhavpur University. Students were alleged to raise pro-Afzal slogans in the campus and demanding the freedom of Kashmir along with Nagaland and Manipur.

“Geelani bole azaadi, azaadi bole azaadi, jo tum na doge azaadi, toh cheen lenge azaadi,” Jadhavpur University shouted during a march on the campus. Posters were also found in the campus signed by the group called ‘RADICAL’. “Hume kya chahiye – Azadi. Kashmir ki Azaadi. Nagaland ki Azaadi. Manipur ki Azaadi,” slogans were printed on the posters.

More conflict arose when ABVP activists came at the campus shouting ‘Bharat mata ki jai’, ‘Jai shri Ram’ and began tearing down posters and banners.

Teachers and students formed human chain to stop protesters from entering Jadavpur University campus

Next day on February 18, in the afternoon down the Raja Subodh Chandra Mullick Road, approximately 100 members of ABVP emerged marching towards the University chanting ‘Vande Matram’, ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. These activists were first halted by the thin line of policemen and a row of barriers. But activists tried to climb over the barriers. After all the attempts made they couldn’t enter in the University premises.

A professor at Jadhavpur University, Samantak Das, said, “This is our university. These students are our students, irrespective of what they have said, and we will not allow outsiders to come in and disrupt the functioning of the university.”

“Which is why, so many of us teachers, we were out there, irrespective of our political beliefs and affiliations, holding the perimeter as it were, in order to prevent troublemakers from outside coming in and doing something provocative,” he added.

Then the situation got controlled, but it still remains in the government’s mind. The current scenario is disturbing nation’s integrity and threatening nationalism. The main problem in front of ruling government is how to make nation on the path of development and consequently to prevent the country from such anti-national activities.