I am now in India, and in the middle of serious turmoil afflicting Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where I am staying with friends for a few days. There is some information on the turmoil at the JNU Wikipedia page under “student activism” and “2016 sedition controversy.”
On February 9, the JNU students demonstrated for a number of causes, among them the mistreatment of a terrorist who was hanged on this day several years ago (counter to Indian law, he wasn’t allowed to see his family before execution, and his body wasn’t turned over to his relatives). This demonstration, an annual event, has now morphed into a general occasion to express left-wing sentiments. JNU is consistently leftist and secular, a thorn in the side of the right-wing and Hindu-centric Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which holds power for at least the next three years.
The new vice-chancellor of JNU, appointed by the BJP government, refused to give the students permission to demonstrate on February 9. They did anyway. There were reports that “anti-India” slogans were shouted, including calls for India’s destruction, and—horror of horrors—for freedom of Kashmir. Here’s a bit from Wikipedia:
According to India Today, “Anti-India” slogans like “Kashmir ki azadi tak jung chalegi, Bharat ki barbadi tak jung chalegi” (“War will continue till Kashmir’s freedom, war will continue till India’s demolition”) were “reportedly raised at the protest meet.”
Calls for Kashmir’s freedom are not illegal, but calls for India’s “demolition” apparently are.
A short time later, the police (at the University’s request) invaded JNU, imposing a form of martial law on it for a few days, taking photos of anybody talking to reporters and searching the dorms and those arriving on campus.
After the police raid, the government then arrested three students for “sedition,” a vestigial remnant of British colonial law. Two are still in jail, facing serious time if convicted. But some of the tapes produced by the government as evidence of seditious shouting have already been shown to be doctored. Most people don’t think the sedition charges will stick, but it seems likely that the government will cook up other charges, and that the students (and the University) will continue to be pursued doggedly. In the meantime, both the students and faculty went on strike, the former for several days, the latter for one.
Another 15 students stil face punishment from JNU for equally unsupported charges. I attended a student/faculty “teach in” yesterday, which reminded me of the U.S. in the Sixties, when we did the same thing against the Vietnam War and the draft. It was impressive and remarkably peaceful; the students who spoke were passionate and committed. And a substantial number of faculty were there to show support. It was, in fact, far more peaceful than a Donald Trump rally—perhaps because Indians stick to the Ghandi-an tradition of peaceful protest.
All this has become national news: a left-wing university, perhaps the best in India, is pitted against a right-wing government that despises it and, indeed, seems bent on destroying it. JNU is on the front pages of India’s biggest newspapers every day.
As Wikipedia notes:
More than 500 academics from around the world, including JNU alumni, released a statement in support of the students. In a separate statement, over 130 world-leading scholars including Noam Chomsky, Orhan Pamuk and Akeel Bilgrami called it a “shameful act of the Indian government” to invoke sedition laws formulated during colonial times to silence criticism.
For one time I agree with Noam Chomsky!
Only Ceiling Cat knows what the BJP will bring to India, but it’s not good: more nationalism, more Hindu-centric feelings in a religiously divided nation, more punishment of dissenters. It reminds me of what the Erdogan government—equally religious and punitive—is doing to Turkey. There’s an election here in three years, and maybe they’ll turn the present regime out.
The BJP is driven by a policy called “Hindutva,” which is designed to impose “Hindu-centric” values on everyone. It’s not so much that other religions, like Islam, will be forced to worship Hindu gods, which they won’t but they will be expected to adopt “Hindu values,” defined, of course, by the BJP. It’s much like the “we-are-a-Christian-nation-and-should-have-Christian-values” trope in the U.S., except the Hindutva form of religious nationalism is far more malignant.
UPDATE: I went to this afternoon’s (Friday) demonstration and spent an hour and a half listening to chants and talks, both in Hindi and English. A few photos:
Chanting (in Hindi) in the section of campus now known as “Freedom Square.” I couldn’t understand the words, but I recorded a video. Many news reporters were there.
Chanting:
The students listened raptly (except, of course, for those checking their phones):
This is Shelha Rashid Shora, the vice-president of JNU’s Student Union. She’s a real firebrand, and gave a speech in English both yesterday and today. (I’ve made a video of a segment.) I’m told that a substantial part—perhaps most—of the campus activism is done by women students and professors. The freedom that women enjoy at JNU, and the fact that the sexes mix freely, is one reason why the school is so highly resented by traditional Indians, who of course don’t enjoy that kind of equality, and whose marriages are often arranged.
One thing I’ve noticed is that the activists keep a sense of humor, even those who, like Shora, are under threat of suspension (they use the old British term “rustication”). Although I can’t understand the speeches in Hindi, they’re often punctuated with laughter. And here’s further evidence:
India’s demolition doesn’t seem like a very left or liberal idea to me, it seems more right-wing. Dividing the country into smaller units is going to reduce minority rights and protections and solidify cultural differences rather than mellow them. But I guess they’re thinking the 1947 partitioning was a success story?
But that’s a quibble from someone far less knowledgeable about their movement than they are. More power to them and their peaceful protests.
The students get credit for protesting about something more serious than Halloween costumes.
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Were I Professor Ceiling Cat, I would be careful about what I send back from there in the form of commentary on the situation; just because you’re a “tourist” doesn’t mean that you, too, might find out more about those “sedition” laws than you want to! I strongly suggest that future posts concerning these matters wait until your return for your own safety.
The “Hindutva” movement is nothing more than creeping religious fascism, which, as always, plays upon ethnic fears and hatreds, jingoistic nationalism, and dreams of a return to past “glories” while constantly looking for “subversive” plots against its rising power. The aim of imposing “Hindu-centric” values on everyone in the country is just one step toward the ban of ALL other religions and the expulsion of all who refuse to convert.
I agree!! Please be careful, out there, PCC(E).
” I’m told that a substantial part—perhaps most—of the campus activism is done by women students and professors.”
PCC could very easily be painted as a “foreign agitator”- I wouldn’t even attempt to take any tape of videos of the demonstrations out of the country…..
To even be seen taking videos or pictures could be dangerous. (I’d upload them to the cloud, or livestream the videos, instead of personally carrying them out of the country, though, if I just had to record any images.)
As Meera Nanda pointed out about 20 years ago, Hindutva, like many religious nationalisms, has a pseudoscientific component, backed by pomo-esque nonsense. (“Vedic science”, including astrology and homeopathy, as I recall.) What a mess. I don’t know what the current state is, though.
I wanted to learn what were the goals of the Hindutva movement. Here is a summary from Wikipedia. I removed some items that did not seem a big deal:
• the entire Indian subcontinent (which includes countries other than India) is the homeland of the Hindus.
• “Hindus” are those who believe India is their fatherland (pitribhumi) and holyland (punyabhumi)
• emphasizing historical oppression of Hindus by invading forces like the Muslims and the Christians and the call to “reverse” the influence resulting from these intrusions.
• opposing Communism for a perceived weakening of Hindus.
• a call to form a “Hindu Nation” (Hindu Rashtra)
• cow slaughter in India should be banned.
• Sanskrit should be taught compulsorily to all students
• Most modern scientific discoveries were known and described in the Vedas
Interesting, thanks for that.
I’ve been thinking more about this: isn’t it ironic that students in India are protesting about something that actually MEANS something, rather than the nonsense they’re spouting here?
I have thought of that. What we really need is a nasty war, or a despotic president to channel their youthful energy into real problems…
But there are some real problems. Lately I was reminded how several of the red states have been passing voter registration laws ‘to prevent voter fraud’, they say, but what they really mean is to make it ridiculously hard for poor people to vote. It is such an unabashedly dastardly thing to do that my blood boils just thinking about it.
What’s really appalling is the ease with which TeaOP legislators rammed through these laws in so many states when it was all done without ANY real PROOF that systematic voter fraud is occurring at a level which would warrant such legislation. I’ve never claimed that Teapublicans were stupid- why bother with voter fraud at all, when you can simply scream “voter fraud!” while enacting legislation that, with the full backing of law, makes it more difficult for people who don’t tend to vote for their candidates to vote at all! Sweet!
“What we really need is a nasty war…”
We already have one! Why won’t the US students protest that?
Beliefs: Theology Schools, Facing Lean Times, Look to One Another and the Web
Something from todays NYT that bears looking into:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/19/us/theology-schools-facing-lean-times-look-to-one-another-and-the-web.html?hpw&rref=us&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region®ion=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well
I think this goes with the recent, historical meeting between the Pope and comparable head of the Eastern Orthodox Church. No doubt they are banding together against the evangelical Dominionists.
An Indian friend of mine who is in Bangalore visiting family, wrote a scathing Facebook post about Hindus imposing religion (and she is a devout Hindu). They all those who want a secular government “sickulars”. She had an Indian friend in the US reply that she likes Trump. I guess authoritarianism appeals to authoritarians no matter who or where it comes from.
I saw something the other day, only caught part of it. The fellow had written a book about authoritarians and had a simple test consisting of four questions (parenting questions) such as – do you think the kids should be seen but not heard. If you answered these questions one way it was a sure bet you were for Trump. So all the loonies out there who are for trump are just authoritarians. It really has nothing to do with being a blue collar, underpaid, low educated….
And that is what’s truly terrifying because authoritarianism is dangerous indeed!
Hi Randy
I think you might find this article interesting: http://www.vox.com/2016/3/1/11127424/trump-authoritarianism
It includes the questions you talk about near the end.
Good article.
Of course, the appetite for authoritarianism should also directly correlate with the appetite for religion and religiousity.
Yes. It seems to me that people attracted to religion, especially its more conservative forms, are more likely to be authoritarian.
Wow!
I recall psychology saying children require firm boundaries to feel safe. Putting that together with the authoritarianist rise in response to insecurity, it appears those voting for Trump have regressed to their insecure childhoods.
And, children over protected with boundaries too firm would be most susceptible — i.e., children raised by strict, authoritarian parents.
I bet this does tie in with religion, as the other comments suggest.
The graphics accompanying the article, but not the article itself, shows there’s a subset of liberals who are strongly authoritarian. I assume these are the Authoritarian Left (Jerry’s term) / Regressive Left (Majid Nawaz’s term) and the Special Snowflakes.
My father used to pull that line, “Children should be seen and not heard.” He’s not heard from me in decades. He refuses. His loss.
Well, then the question is why so many people are attracted to authoritarianism, etc., no?