ArpitGarg's Weblog

I have been very vocal against politics and strikes in Colleges and Universities across India. Specially when they are being subsidized by the taxpayers. Education and not politics should be mantra in Campus. If education is hampered, it erodes the nation building.

There are a lot of ways to control politics. Student body elections can be abolished. If not, then students getting only Top 1% marks should be allowed to contest student body elections. This will incentivize students to study more, if they want to run for elections. And there are numerous methods by which politics in Colleges can be controlled so that Education stays Supreme.

At the same time, I am also an advocate for dissent at Colleges, if students do not cause physical harm to anyone. What has become of JNU over the years is a mockery of Education. But there is a reason why Police do not enter Colleges and College authorities are the first responders and adjudicator for most issues.

College is a place where most students are developing their identities and gathering their beliefs. College years are the formative years when students search for what they want to be. Students decide what they want to become in life, they decide their political ideology, they decide which economic school of thought they want to follow etc. Students become part of heated debates; dissents etc. to open up their thoughts, get 360 degree view and enhance their understanding in life.

If students at JNU were in touch with sleeper cells or Hafeez Saeed then it is one thing, but the anti-national slogans by students does not mean sedition. They are coming to know of most things that were not known to them. They are understanding the concept of nation, democracy and many are struggling to decide what they believe in. It is an internal upheaval which they are going through. Do I support anti-India slogan. No. But I don’t think it should be sedition for students. To disagree with the Democracy, Constitution and our Nation is also a democratic right. More so for students for whom these are years to explore these concepts.

If there is a proof that students were colluding with terrorists, please take action and put them behind bars. But if it’s a case of slogans and dissent, I would rather say no to police action. Our constitution of which I am great believer, allows us the right not to have faith in it. Not having faith is not akin to committing a crime. Anti-national slogans should not be akin to sedition. Not at least at College Campuses.

Suppressing the peaceful dissent is akin to saying we live in a perfect world with no room for improvement. It’s akin to destroying the space for discourse.