Jadavpur University, We, and the culture of
Revolutionary Politics!
A perspective, on the recent controversy at the screening of the
film ‘Buddha in a traffic jam’ at the JU
“We are
superior! What we say and do is RIGHT
and is the Trendsetter for the general public! ” – This is what any
Communist-Maoist-Naxalite ideology influenced student, of the JU will tell you,
when you put forward any ‘Radical’ question to them and ask why people
should accept their argument as correct, in any matter. However, this same
thought process is not the reflection
of most of nationalist students and academicians of Jadavpur University. These
‘Radical’ students and professors are very handful in number, but extremely
vocal as if their opinion is the Opinion of whole Jadavpur University.
Divisive Anti-India Poster & CPM's Loksabha candidate(2014) with them
The educated
Bengali society has been a true model of modern education for decades, as
envisioned by Lord Macaulcay, a British historian and Whig politician who was
the inspirationfor the National Council of Education, in
Bengal to create “A class of Indians who would be Indian in blood and colour
but western in thought and ideas (eventually will hate and laugh about their
own scientific temper and progress).” In due course of time the National
Council of Education evolved to become a University that is popularly known as
Jadavpur University or JU. Institute was started in Bengal because it had been
the soil of leaders and crusaders.
But
unfortunately, the institute has created a series of pupils who are extremely
good at mimicking any defined postulate thereby obtaining high ranksin entrance
examinations and considerit to be their ‘Panacea’ for a successful career and
life. Though, there are many exceptions!
Whenever pushed to
the back foot, the same argument of superior ranks and meritocracy comes in and
is used as a ‘Bramhastra’ to defeat the opponent in any legitimate argument!
Now, if we take the argument of the meritocracy and do a reality check, we will
understand most of the JU departments are far from being the best departments
in the country. Anyone who debates this, can check the rankingsof universities
in India and you will know the difference between reality and popular
assumption. Excellence in any subject is created, nurtured and nourished by
promoting, meritocracy and innovation day in and day out. This culture of
Innovation and Thought-leadership has been missing in JU for decades ever
since, the so called- ‘Trendy Communism and Naxalism’ invaded JU. As a matter
of fact it was accepted that if you are not following ‘Communism and Naxalism’
then you cannot proclaim to be a Thought-Leader and a Free-Thinker. The ‘Laissez
Faire Economy’ that in a way drives Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Business and
Growth by competitive free market economy, is marketed as ‘Economic discrimination
and oppression of the poor by the richer section of society’ by these
Free-Thinkers and Thought Leaders. As, a result Bengal as a state always has
been critical about Reforms be it economic or technological or for that matter
industrial. Who all are impacted by this anti-reform atmosphere? Present &
future generations of Bengalis are impacted because of these ‘Revolutionaries’!
What a shame!
Now, let’s
consider any young student from a humble Bengali family, who joins the JU with a
sense of well-endowed pride of being superior and having an ever invigorating
mind. He or she would always be challenged by a few ‘Free-Thinking’ Professors
(many of whom can’t even explain their subject clearly) saying – ‘Either you
believe in Left theories or you don’t belong to this Elite club!’ Hence, many
of these promising, young bright students fall prey to these deceiving thoughts
of ‘Revolution’ as they can’t disown their superiority as perceived by the Bengali
middle class. Moreover, the infamous Left canards of ‘Revolution’ by Che
Guevara and party are marketed so blatantly, that young minds very easily get
swept away from our National Ethos, Identity and Crusaders. As a result,
luminaries like Vivekananda, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Jagadish Chandra Bose,
Bankim Chandra etc. who once defined the charter of Science, Democracy and
Freedom for the entire human society are forgotten and ridiculed by these
free-thinking practices in JU regularly. Bright minds are moulded by the Left
inclined professors to believe in the ‘Revolutionary Che’ and made to forget our
‘Revolutionary Khudiram’ to imbibe the mythical communist inspired socialism
into the young minds.
If the so called
free thinking JU thought leadership is so ‘Radical’ and ground breaking then
let us retrospect: Why for decades, JU
has been failing to produce true scholars, philosophers from Bengal, for which
itwas once known to the world? Why could
not JU incubate the path breaking inventions that bring game changing
transformation, irrespective of crores of rupees being spent by the government year
after year on infrastructure and subsidized low cost education fees across
verticals? Is JU the monument of success
and grandeur, for which it was once founded? The Bengali society knows the
answer loud and clear, but, inits hypocrisy, can’t allow itself to accept the
reality of mediocrity!
That’s the
reason we still see the culture of shouting slogans like ‘Kashmir mange ajadi,
Manipur mange ajadi’ and posters in JU by these ‘Radical’ thinkers. These
beliefs are still prevalent among a handful of students and professors who
still preach ‘Revolutionary Che Guevara’ and hide ‘Criminal Che Guevara’.
Though the majority
of the students and professors don’t endorse these thoughts, but they fail to
raise their voice. If this has been the history, then readers will not be
surprised to acknowledge that these ‘Ignited minds’ will go to any extent to
stop a film – ‘Buddha in a Traffic Jam’ by acclaimed director Vivek Agnihotri
from being screened in the JU Campus. Why
to target a Film that just showcases another not so comfortable view on Leftist
Theories? The reason is rather simple. This Film unmasks Maoist/ Naxalite/
Communist atrocities across India in the name of ‘Revolution & Socialism’
and gives a fresh perspective on these self-proclaimed Revolutionaries. The
series of incidents that unfolded at JU for the Film Screening event (that was
organized by a group called – ‘Think India’) not only violates basic definition
of Freedom of Expression, but also suppresses alternative thinking in the
university. There can be debates on whether the depiction Mao-Naxal-Coomunism
atrocities that is portrayed in the movie is genuine, but there cannot be any
debate on how an Indian Censor Board approved movie ‘Buddha in a traffic Jam’
is obstructed from being formally screened for the general public and the
students in a so called free thinking university.
This is the
larger question to be asked to these free thinkers who are often found
celebrating the killings of our brave soldiers by Terrorists and Naxalites and are
seen cheering for anything that is against the people and the state in the name
of ‘Revolution’. These are the people who suppress the freedom of expression
when suited, as in this case and do ‘Dharna-Protest’ when it suits their
convenience like Protest in JU for Afzal Guru hanging, Human-chain for
Terrorists of Kashmir and seminars for the Freedom of Manipur from ‘Imperialist
India’ etc. These people give examples of socialism in a true society where no
distinction between ‘Oppressor and Oppressed’ can be identified. They portray
China as example of a successful socialism inspired financial model and forget
to mention that it violates all human Rights and Freedom of Expressions for its
own people.
Any country,
where communism has thrived, itssociety has seen the Rule of ‘Politburo’ (i.e.
the principal policymaking committee of a communist party) rather than Rule of
the common people. Take any example from Soviet Union, Cuba to China to North
Korea. Nowhere people are allowed to exercise freedom of thought, mind or life.
We live in a free thinking nation and an engaging society. We all, especially
the erudites must promote alternative thinking so that a better society of
inclusion can be created. On, that day of screening, many people came to watch
the movie; instead they witnessed a trolling ill-behaved student mob shouting
‘Ajadi’ slogans with abusive language. Later the mob went on to manhandle
students and professors. The Mob eventually, seized Prof. Debasish Roychowdhury
and a few students in a desolate room and brutally tortured them. Is this
called Revolutionary behavior? If we want true Revolution, then let us innovate;
challenge the status-quo of Science, Technology, Democracy and Freedom. Let’s
bring a change to the society by experimenting on a new social model, new
Ideas, new theories, not by hoodwinking the failed principles of Mao-Naxal-Communism
that has never evolved to a functional socioeconomic model.Neither these models
have any tangible probability of being implementable in the near future, nor
have they been successfully implemented in any othercountry in the world.
ABVP Students & professor being threatened and beaten up by ‘Radical’ students
(Look man with white trousers an total outsider but no action by VC)
(Look man with white trousers an total outsider but no action by VC)
ABVP Students
protesting against the inaction of VC Suranjan Das.
Sequence of
events around ‘Buddha in a Traffic Jam’ screening at JU
|
India is going through an
evolution of exponential social-economic growth and transformation.
After, decades of lost
opportunities, it’s staring at a new era of hope. It’s not only because of the Government,
but mainly because, of its youth power and their capacity to innovate for a
better world. Let’s contribute and churn to find out new ways to bring an
atmosphere that produce true Innovators, Thought leaders, Social reformers and
crusaders. Let’s us not chant the decades old Left canard of ‘Revolution’ , rather
preach ‘Entrepreneurship and Innovation’ that can herald a new era for Bengal
as well as the world. Let’s make JU a breeding ground of Innovation rather than
a breeding ground of future Naxals!
what is needed now & immediately
Author: Bhaswar Goswami
(Technologist and Social thinker)
