Tank in JNU campus: Vice chancellor should rightfully claim credit, patent the concept and process of Wargasm

By Anand Mazgaonkar*
The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice Chancellor’s (VC's) suggestion of installing a tank at a prominent place on campus is not only a brilliant, but also an honest idea. Just as we never found out the source of the demonetisation idea -- whether it was the Reserve Bank of India's (RBIs) own idea or whether the Government gave it to the RBI to give it back to the Government to implement -- we will never figure out where this one came from.
It may have come from the JNU VC’s own fertile brain, or from Nagpur, or Delhi or it may have done the merry-go-round like demonetisation, i.e., from Nagpur to Delhi to VC and back to Delhi for implementation.
Unquestionably, following due procedure, creating lot of smoke does indeed cover up the source, intent and purpose. We must indeed be a stupid people. The only problem is that some of their motormouths betray their true designs.
Mr Rajiv Malhotra, is reported to have said he was “glad we’re capturing JNU” and has apparently characterised it as victory “in the internal war”. Major Gen Bakshi felt inspired to betray their future plans, i.e., capturing Jadavpur and Hyderabad Central University (click HERE to read).
Nobody has, as yet, leaked their exact plan and blueprint; therefore the Parivar’s division of labour isn’t exactly clear. Will it be that the current army will fight the external battles while retired armymen will turn on on people within, or the new army will be a combination of VCs and retired armymen, or is it that retired armymen will set out to capture Universities? Or, the fact may be that academicians (of the Parivar kind) will now infiltrate the army.
Whatever be the intent and objective, the tank can indeed serve many purposes for many different people. It will be inspiration for the ABVP-types, deterrence for the Kanhaiya-types (remember Tiananmen?), joy for the sabre-rattlers. Warmongers’ toys becoming academicians’ fantasies is the best outcome of this project. It should also do the VC’s personal professional career a great deal of good. Those are the kind of people who ought to be put in charge of the Education Ministry. And given this Government’s style, we can have the HRD Minister doubling as Defence Minister. Or more correctly HRD Minister-cum-Defence Minister-cum-Internal War Minister.
We could well have the spectacle of VC-cum-HRD Minister formulating the Education Policy of Pakistan on the one hand, while on the other fighting an internal war in JNU, Jadavpur and Hyderabad Central University. That will be doing full justice to each of his portfolios. That, really is the way forward for 21st Century India. And it will be a symbol of India’s great past and greater future – truly, the Achche Din we were promised.
Installing something like a Tank in a University is perfectly justified for another reason. If you’ve done too much bluff, bluster, bombast and sabre rattling about teaching Pakistan a lesson, rooting out terrorism, eradicating poverty, giving farmers’ cost + 50 % for their produce, ending farmers’ suicides, while in opposition and the reality of having to act more ‘responsibly’ dawns on you when in Government, you do have to instal symbols and toy models to pass off as governance and performance.
Therefore, the next thing that should be coming might be a huge plastic Rs. 15 Lakh cheque (the kind of cheques presented to the Man of the Match at the end of a cricket match) installed at India Gate to represent the amount that should have come into each citizens’ account and factory worker’s boots and cap at Jantar Mantar to stand in for the 1 crore jobs that were going to be created every year.
As a people we’re graduating from installing scarecrows on farms to setting up toy models to pass off as the real thing. Whatever the tank in JNU may or may not do, this Government and its Parivar are giving the people Wargasm. The JNU VC should rightfully claim credit, patent the concept and process of Wargasm.

---

*With Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti, Vadodara

Comments

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

Concerns raised over move to rename MGNREGA, critics call it politically motivated

By A Representative Concerns have been raised over the Union government’s reported move to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), with critics describing it as a politically motivated step rather than an administrative reform. They argue that the proposed change undermines the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and seeks to appropriate credit for a programme whose relevance has been repeatedly demonstrated, particularly during times of crisis.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor* Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

School job scam and the future of university degree holders in West Bengal

By Harasankar Adhikari The school recruitment controversy in West Bengal has emerged as one of the most serious governance challenges in recent years, raising concerns about transparency, institutional accountability, and the broader impact on society. Allegations that school jobs were obtained through irregular means have led to prolonged legal scrutiny, involving both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court of India. In one instance, a panel for high school teacher recruitment was ultimately cancelled after several years of service, following extended judicial proceedings and debate.

Search This Blog