The infamous JNU recently witnessed ugly scenes of violence as a group of masked goons ran riot in the university campus. An objective analysis of what transpired on the university campus revealed clear markings of leftist violence on the campus of the central university, followed by an attempt to shift the blame on the ABVP. The entire leftist lobby however tried to blame the Modi government for the violence that panned out inside the JNU campus.
Today, the anti Modi lobby is acting as if JNU has witnessed violence for the first time. However, a cursory look at the history of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) reveals its long association with controversies. In fact, it has always been prone to violence arising out of student politics. After Indira Gandhi returned to power in 1980, police had to be sent to control violence between the rival leftist groups in the central varsity (non-Left factions were virtually non-existent at the time).
In fact, such was the state of violence at the left dominated university that it had to be closed for a period of 46 days between November 16, 1980 and January 3, 1981, merely 12 years after it was eatablished. Indira Gandhi had to shut down JNU allegedly due to violence led by student mobs becoming acute. Not only this, even the door of the hostel was broken, in order to detain the then JNUSU president Rajan G James.
JNU was again closed and complete vacation of hostels was enforced in April 1983. This time a student mob of over 100 entered the Vice Chancellor’s residence, and indulged in sheer vandalism. The university officials were gheraoed, whose health began to deteriorate. The doctor who came to attend them was heckled by the student mobs. Around 37 years down the line, there is not much change in the modus operandi of the Left-led student mobs who feel that the central university is their fiefdom. The same year when Indira Gandhi was shouted down by students while addressing a function in the central university. Slogans that were raised against her, were heard nationwide on All India Radio, which was broadcasting her speech live that day. Over 300 students were arrested, charged under several provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and even sent to Tihar Jail.
It seems as if vandalism and violence are inherent in the influential leftist lobby that has traditionally dominated the central varsity, glimpses of which were seen during the registration boycott and the violence that panned out on Sunday evening. While the entire left liberal lobby is blaming the ABVP, the fact remains that a toxic environment created by left dominated student politics in JNU is the reason why the university witnessed frequent incidents of acute violence.