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Top bureaucrats and JNU alumni on dissent, university culture
JNU has over the years contributed scores of bureaucrats and political leaders who have served the government with distinction.
The ongoing protest by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) against Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, and the Centre’s continued support to him, is giving a mixed feeling to top bureaucrats who are university’s alumni.
While they sympathise with the feeling of their juniors, these top officials also understand the workings of the government.
“Dissent is a part of the JNU culture. It is considered that students being young will have fresh ideas and should not fear in expressing them even if it is at divergence with the views of the establishment. It is considered the sign of a healthy democracy,” said a senior official.
He, however, added that no one sensible would like to support violent behaviour be it from any of the ideological formations.
Another top officer said that it is not the first time that such a row has taken place. In the 80s also a massive agitation had taken place and some in the top positions now have experienced what it is to agitate against the government.
A third alumni of the college, however, stressed that violence should have never occurred in the campus.
“JNU can be a battlefield of ideas. The fight can be of ideas but physical fights can only be discouraged by the students themselves. When we advocate dissent, we cannot be seen as intolerant to a dissenting point of view,” the third alumni said.
JNU has over the years contributed scores of bureaucrats and political leaders who have served the government with distinction.
Significantly, after Sunday’s violence, some of the first ones to react on social media were JNU alumni who are in top government positions.
“JNU has always been a centre of lively and vibrant debate, discussion and co-existence of different viewpoints. What has happened today is extremely sad and tragic. I strongly and unequivocally condemn the violence on the campus. This is totally unacceptable,” NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kanth said on Sunday.
Another top bureaucrat, who was in fact handling the strike before his transfer to the social justice ministry was R Subrahmanyam also reacted spontaneously.
“JNU violence completely unacceptable and shameful. I condemn the violence in no uncertain terms and demand immediate action against the hooligans,” he said.
Two of the Modi government’s top ministers, who were students at the premier varsity, also reacted to the violence.
“Have seen pictures of what is happening in JNU. Condemn the violence unequivocally. This is completely against the tradition and culture of the university,” said External Affairs minister S Jaishankar.
“Horrifying images from JNU - the place I know & remember was one for fierce debates & opinions but never violence. I unequivocally condemn the events of today. This govt, regardless of what has been said the past few weeks, wants universities to be safe spaces for all students,” said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
