“Patriotism
is the last refuge of the scoundrel” – said Samuel Johnson
Isn’t
the path of courage to speak out, if one believes our nation’s policies to be
in error, and the path of cowardice to remain silent? Should one sink with the
Titanic, if one may have a strategy for keeping it afloat? Is it possible that
those who have been demonized for uttering the so called seditious words are in
some way assisting our country, whether for right or wrong, giving us an
overlooked perspective? There is always a thin line between
freedom of speech and patriotism.
The
JNU fracas has convulsed the country since 9th February, 2016 with
political leaders, academicians and media personalities vocalizing their
opinions vociferously. It was all geared up when the JNU SA organized a meeting
at the campus where the students raised the slogans of anti-national hues
pertaining to supposed ‘judicial murder’ of Afzal Guru, the perpetrator of the
2003 attack on the parliament and the contentious Kashmir issue. It was met
with backlash from the opposers ABVP. A few slogans here and there led to
arrests, charges of sedition and further protests.
Lord
Krishna, adorably known as Kanhaiya, has racked his devotees in Bhagabat Gita
on taking the ‘avataar’ to invigorate the forces of ‘dharma’during clash
between ‘dharma’ and ‘adharma’. Communists may not have faith in Lord Krishna
since their ideology states that believe in divine is opium of the masses. But
the Left parties are considering JNU’s Kanhaiyya, SA President as their saviour
incarnate at a time when the credibility of their ideologies- namely Marxism
and class war, have suffered indelible decline, and catapulting him in the
super hero status, all to win the war against Narendra Modi. But soon the
simple gathering was moulded into a national political game!
The
February 9 speech of Kanhaiyya was master performance for which he was arrested
on the charges of sedition. The political leaders came up hoisting the flag of
nationalism that they probably forgot in making inhuman comments on the suicide
of the Dalit student of Hyderabad University, Rohit Vermula. This was bolstered
by statement of an iron- jawed one from home- minister Mr. Rajnath Singh- “If
anyone raises anti-India slogans and tries to raise questions on the nation’s
unity and integrity, they will not be spared.” Now, is the hanging of Afzal
Guru anti-national, when he was hanged for an indisputably anti-national? But
how sure are we that he was involved in that conspiracy? However, how flawless
is the judgement of the Supreme Court that defended, that Guru should be hanged
because the conscience of the nation demands it? Is it antinational to question
the verdict of the highest court of the land?
We
would never be in favour of any move to idolise a convicted terrorist, much
less approved of those who are given anti- India diatribes. But to arrest a
university student who’s involvement in the controversial sloganeering far from
proven, on the charge is an outrageous over reaction. Hence, the slapping of
the sedition rap on Kanhaiyya is extremely disproportionate to the alleged
“crime” and the state becomes paranoid and irrational. Our constitution
provides freedom of speech and expression within reasonable limits and slogan
at a student meet, albeit ill-judged, volatile, can hardly be deemed to have
breached those limits. Besides all this, it is up to the University authorities
to carry out disciplinary action, against students violating rules and
regulations of the institution. Why then did the police swoop into the campus
and the take president of the student union into custody?
Do
a couple of slogans really amount to seditious behaviour? It is spawned endless
debates and arguments and hypotheticals and hyperboles on freedom of
expression, separatists, liberal hypocrisy and nationalistic pride. The
permission to conduct a police raid inside the university campus, search, and
hound students, arrest and thrash and bypassing the internal mechanism of
university is completely preposterous. India’s airwaves today are choking with
patriotic fervour and patriots are busy in denouncing anti-nationals, baying
for their blood and putting someone behind the bar, to thunderous applause from
fellow patriots.
Enakshi Pal
( PG MEDIA 2015-2017)
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