In an audacious move, JNU students have reclaimed JNU’s famous Freedom Square by violating a High Court order. The order had prohibited any kind of the protests within 100 meters of JNU’s Ad- Block, which is popularly known as Azaadi Chowk or the Freedom Square. The spot has been a site for some of the most historic struggles at the university. It became common place during “9 February crisis” where open lectures were organized in defiance of claims of the university as being “anti – national”. However, since High Court’s order the site had fallen into disuse and no individual or political organization was willing to disobey the law.
But on the night of February 10, 2018, huge mass of students began their mission of reclaiming the Ad Block, by forming a human chain and marching in protest.
Initial Confusion
While the Students Union had given a call for a protest march from Ganga Dhaba, the venue of its culmination had not been planned. At first, students were asked to move to Chandrabhaga Hostel where most of the protests culminate in absence of privilege of accessing Ad Block. The chain was stuck in the middle of the road for quite some time as organizations began to deliberate on various possible venues where the march should end. A spontaneous decision of moving to Vice Chancellor’s house was taken and the human chain culminated near East Gate of JNU. But the logic of same has still not been clarified. It is a contradiction to see that on one hand the Union was shouting slogans like “VC humse darta hai, IIT mein rehta hai”. If this the case then, then one needs to ask why was mobilized crowd taken there and not at Ad Block at the very first instance?
Internal Disputes
As the human chain proceeded to VC’s house a ruckus was created as many students’ activists started fighting among themselves creating an impression of confusion and mistrust among the common students. A lot of time was simply wasted merely to solve internal disputes. The Union President said that “they have no problem in going to Ad Block even now or earlier” but in reality it was the immense pressure from common students that actually compelled them to lead everybody at Ad Block as the crowd could not be pacified easily this time.
Mission Accomplished, finally
In a historic move as thousands of the students registered their dissent, the Court order was breached and songs of Azaadi were raised in passion. It was clarified that JNU wants “Azaadi from VC, from protector and in general from this regime”. The Teachers’ Association of JNU also lent their support to the event.
It was decided on the spot that the flower pots that has been kept by VC so as to obstruct any use of the stairs of the Ad Block should be removed by the students. However, some of these were broken by angry students.
On the night of the February 11, Mashal Joollus was called from Ganga Dhaba that culminated at Ad Block. Students openly expressed their discontent with the administration. It was on this second day of a week-long protest that students wrote open letters to VC declaring him out of bounds of JNU calling him “Not my VC” which is now stuck on the walls of the Pink Palace. Poetry was recited and songs were sung in unity as students celebrated their reclaimed freedom. The Union has already declared this movement as a “Do or Die situation”. And the struggle in the campus is intensifying day by day.
Coming up, next
A plan of action has been charted out for the upcoming week which is the week of ultimatum given to VC to roll back attendance. A call for indefinite strike has been given for boycotting classes throughout the week. However, it was clarified that student’s will be allowed to do their official works such as those pertaining to registration etc. Further, certain cultural events are also on the list along with beginning of the famous lecture series of JNU which would be addressed by prominent speakers, however due to the contested site of event; it still requires some deliberations and final confirmation. In a statement brought out by JNU Teachers Association on 12 Feb, they have expressed their “solidarity with students”. Further, the statement, appealed to the teachers (on demand of JNUSU) to hold classes in open spaces and, if required, over weekends”.
A few pertinent questions
However, there are certain questions that still await response. This include how would this strike be implemented in the centers where attendance is being taken regularly and classes are also held? The Sanskrit Centre is an example of this. For how long would this mobilization continue as generally after few days the number of students starts to dwindle? Also, if the mood of campus was building towards an indefinite strike then when what stopped Union lending their support to NSUI which took the lead in launching one such strike. Can the internal differences within organizations (which are so evident in this movement) be easily ironed out? If nothing much happens in this one week then what?
Unity is the Key
While these questions remain, it is only and only the participation of the students’ community that is providing strength and endurance to it. So, even if calling it “Save JNU, Part -2” may lend some legitimacy to movement the driving force behind it are the common students and without their active support and participation the movement would just frizzle out.
As far as the Vice Chancellor and Co. are concerned, they seems to have already taken a back foot and have activated their defensive mode as the upcoming AC meeting, (which is the highest decision making body of JNU) that was supposed to be held on 23 February has been “indefinitely postponed”. In their statement, Students’ Union maintained that “The VC has shamelessly tried to threaten them by stopping scholarship, hostel facilities, and student registration. But even such threats have failed to browbeat the students of JNU and huge mobilization in last few days have been a clear evidence of that”. Further, on the 15th of this month the Union has also given a call for March to Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) where they would take their proposal of removing the VC from his current position.
(The author is a student of JNU and pursuing her masters in Ancient History)