On the completion of 50 years, Jawaharlal Nehru University is set to celebrate its golden jubilee and the celebrations are expected to extend throughout the year. University administration will host various cultural festivals including “Dramatic workshop on ancient scriptures” and will also organize the screening of a documentary on “Indian tradition and culture” under the theme of “Unity in Diversity”. But, what caught the eyes is the decision to organise Ramlila in the month of April. It comes as an indication that things are swiftly changing in the notoriously left-leaning JNU campus.
In a press conference, JNU professor Satish Chandra Garkoti stated that the university is willing to call Nobel laureates in the event to deliver lectures. He also told that a panel had been formed to look into the details of the celebration. Also, the JNU administration stated that representatives of the student unions aren’t given formal notice as they have to submit their election expenses including the Goods and Service Tax (GST).
The decision to organise Ramlila in the JNU campus has been widely appreciated by the members of ABVP.
Moreover, JNU campus has always been a breeding ground for the left liberals. The left-liberals of Jawaharlal Nehru University always talk about free speech and freedom of expression but at times show their hypocrisy, particularly, when it comes to giving heed to other’s viewpoint. Last year, when anti-India slogans were shouted in JNU campus, no one from the JNU administration condemned it. After this incident, it started an open lecture series on ideologies in Indian society. But not a single scholar representing the Right wing was called there. Later, a talk by Dr. Subramanian Swamy titled as “Ram temple in Ayodhya” also got cancelled.
But things seem to be changing with time, as the youth of the JNU campus have started to realize the biased stance adopted against the right-wing ideology. In JNUSU elections, the entire left-leaning student’s association formed an alliance in order to stop ABVP from winning the election.
Recently, the left-leaning JNU campus reverberated the chants of ‘Mandir Wahin Banayenge’ and Jai Shri Ram, when a rally was organized by RSS and ABVP in the support of Ram Mandir. The rally and cavalcade were organised as part of the RSS’ Sankalp Yatra in support of the Ram Mandir. “For the first time I saw a rally of this sort on the campus,” exclaimed Rohit Azad, a university teacher.”A group went around in a big truck followed by around 30 others on the motorcycle, all shouting slogans supporting a Ram Mandir. They had saffron flags, music system and were playing songs”, he added. But as one can speculate, JNU officials stood against it claiming that these things will vitiate the campus environment.
In one more instance, the JNU administration recently proposed to install a statue of Swami Vivekananda in the campus. These steps signify the declining influence of the left organizations JNU Campus. The decision to organise Ramlila and other cultural activities is indeed a welcome step on the part of Jawaharlal Nehru University administration.