Kanhaiya Kumar warns PM of student uprising against government

Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar during the assembly held at Adarsh Vidyalaya, Tilak Nagar on Friday. (Photo: Debasish Dey)

Somewhat on the lines of the Quit India Movement, student leaders from various universities in the country on Saturday raised anti-government slogans and demanded abandonment of anti-poor and pro-rich policies at the Students Youth Assembly against Discrimination and intolerance at Adarsh Vidyalaya Hall, Tilak Nagar. The assembly saw speakers from Hyderabad Central University and Film and Television Institute of India but the biggest draw was Richa Singh from Allahabad University and Kanhaiya Kumar from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) who warned the Modi government of a student uprising that had the power to topple the government if not stop it from resorting to caste politics and suppressing the voice of dissent.

Referring to efforts by the BJP to stop the assembly from taking place, organisers said that till Friday evening, the Mumbai police had refused to give permission after the venue was changed from a Worli school to a Tilak Nagar school.

“There was no valid reason for the police to refuse the gathering and hence, after persistent follow ups, the police gave permission,” said the host of the event.

While Shehala Rashid of JNU and Ms Singh of Allahabad University spoke about discriminatory practices and the divide and rule policy of the BJP government, they said that rather than pushing the Hindutva ideology and promoting the Brahminisation of the nation, the BJP needed to address burning issues like drought in the country, joblessness, student problems and women’s problems.

“The student psyche is changing and they are beginning to stand up for their demands,” said Ms Singh.

“In AU, there was an atmosphere of discrimination against female students but that is changing. Girl students can now venture out of their hostels even after 9 pm and can sit in the mess with students where they dreaded to go after 8 pm. The victory in disallowing Yogi Adityanath from coming to our campus and spreading communal ideas has made us confident of fighting the same all over the country,” added Ms Singh, who was at the forefront of taking on administration of AU against Adityanath.

Taking the dias, Mr Kumar said the youth, especially the students, had woken up and were not afraid to get beaten up for asking questions.

“Mr Modi needs to understand that people are becoming frustrated by his empty promises and the discriminatory practices employed by his government against the minorities, backward classes and dalits in the country,” said Mr Kumar.

“The BJP is catering to only 10 per cent of the population while the remaining 90 per cent is waiting for Mr Modi’s promises to be fulfilled. The BJP needs to stop trying to curb the voice of dissent and instead concentrate on addressing the various issues plaguing the population of India,” he further said.

“We have an alternate solution to the problems being faced by the nation that we are willing to share with the government, provided it is willing to hear our voice. We want social equality and well-being for all and if that does not happen, it won’t be long before the people start coming out on the roads and holding massive protests against the government,” he added.

“Rather than resorting to appeasement politics, the PM needs to take issues head on by experiencing the difficulties being faced by the masses by making optimum utilisation of the nation’s resources in the right direction,” he said. Mr Kumar added that a mass movement had started in real earnest across the country and it would only grow in coming times, spelling doom for the BJP.