Left youth bodies call JNU attack 'planned', SAARC varsity faculty is 'outraged'

By A Representative
Several Left-wing youth, students' and civil rights organisations condemning the violence "planned and meted out by groups of violent goons allegedly from Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP)" on students and faculty of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on last Sunday, saying, all the while Delhi Police, present there, refused to prevent the goons from entering the campus, and remained "mute spectators in this entire ordeal."
"What began as a peaceful procession by the JNU Teachers' Association was interrupted by masked mobs who entered the campus premises, armed with rods, and lathis clearly indicating their agenda to terrorise students inside the campus", the statement, issued on behalf of the Young India National Coordination Committee, said.
It added, "There are confirmed reports of students being badly beaten up in front of their hostels as well as being pelted with stones and bricks in other parts of the campus. Medical personnel were denied entry into the campus to tend to the injured. There are confirmed reports of ambulances being vandalized and medical personnel being assaulted and manhandled."
"In the past month", the statement reads, "Students in universities across the country such as Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University, Cotton University, and Gauhati University, to name a few, have faced the brunt of brutal violence, often state-sponsored, for having simply exercised their right to protest."
According to the statement, "The fundamental right to peaceful assembly has been snatched away from students. Students across the country are being pushed to live in an atmosphere of fear and terror."
It adds, "It is worth mentioning here that the politics of our country has been shaped by student movements, and student politics is an indispensable part of a healthy democracy. The ruling dispensation’s clampdown on students is a shameful reflection of their insecurity about student unity and activism."

SAARC varsity faculty condemns attack

In a separate "solidarity statement", faculty members of the South Asian University, New Delhi, "shocked and outraged" over an armed and masked mob entering JNU campus on 5 January 5 and attacking students and faculty members, said, "Universities are spaces for intellectual debates and dissent where students, researchers and teachers come together to discuss ideas and cultivate critical thinking."
South Asian University is sponsored by the eight member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) -- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Pointing towards how rioting went on for hours, injuring 40 students and faculty members, many of whom had to undergo treatment at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences trauma centre, the statement said, "Violence of any kind has no place at these sites of learning."
Demanding that the police and other executive authorities "investigate into the matter expeditiously and bring all the perpetrators of this heinous crime to book", the statement appeals to the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court to "take suo motu cognisance of this matter and direct the executive to act speedily and ensure the safety of JNU students and faculty members."

Comments

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.

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.

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.

The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.

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.

The cost of being Indian: How inequality and market logic redefine rights

By Vikas Gupta We, the people of India, are engaged in a daily tryst—read: struggle—for basic human rights. For the seemingly well-to-do, the wish list includes constant water supply, clean air, safe roads, punctual public transportation, and crime-free neighbourhoods. For those further down the ladder, the struggle is starker: food that fills the stomach, water that doesn’t sicken, medicines that don’t kill, houses that don’t flood, habitats at safe distances from polluted streams or garbage piles, and exploitation-free environments in the public institutions they are compelled to navigate.

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.

Proposals for Babri Masjid, Ram Temple spark fears of polarisation before West Bengal polls

By A Representative A political debate has emerged in West Bengal following recent announcements about plans for new religious structures in Murshidabad district, including a proposed mosque to be named Babri Masjid and a separate announcement by a BJP leader regarding the construction of a Ram temple in another location within Behrampur.

Search This Blog