Of Elections without Ideas— Neo-Liberalism and the Culture of Apathy

             Students’ Politics is conceived as an art of channelizing the energy of the youth and preparing them for the task of nation-building. It also seeks to sensitise them on the pertinent socio-political issues of the times. However, over the past few decades students’ politics has become synonymous with flagrant exercise of money and muscle power, nepotism and debauchery. In short, an ethical vacuum has resulted in the derailing of students’ politics from its purpose.

           Many fail to perceive the root of the problem - a lack ideas and a clear-eyed vision among the youth of this country. A case in point is the recently concluded Students’ Union elections of the Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Union.  As of now whatever ideas you would seek among the AMUSU elections candidates the following were the ones you would get (tick the box):-

a) Please vote, support and dua                                          

b)  Tempo high hai

c)   Jeetega bhai jeetega.

          Over the past few years, this terrible drought of ideas have turned a coveted Institution like the AMU Students’ Union into a licence for running riot into the day to day activities of the campus. A pool of students’ leaders have come onto the centre stage who are oblivious of the contemporary challenges being faced by the largest minority community of this country (ironically whose interests they claim to    represent). This has led to an incessant shrinkage of AMU’s role in the task of nation-building and turned it into a thing of the yester years.  In their desperation in showing themselves to be concerned about the common students whose corollary is being antagonistic to the University administration, they have repetitively maligned the Vice- Chancellor of the University ( at times in language that crossed the levels of decency) pressed for illegal demands, and stretched out of the jurisdiction of the Students’ Union. The consequence of all the above acts has been vitiating of the peaceful atmosphere of the campus, and a pretext for the University administration to state that Students’ Union Elections leads to problems of law and order and thereby suspension of the Students ‘Union and denial of the democratic rights of the students.

         However, it would be unfair to presume that the above mentioned problems are exclusively those of the Aligarh Muslim University. A cursory look into the students’ politics of the entire country would reveal that most of the campuses (even those which are known for its academic excellence) today suffer from a leadership vacuum. The neo-liberal policies that have been ushered in this country over the past two decades have resulted in the constant need of a workforce that would feed onto the market. Thus, the Universities have turned into degree vending factories manufacturing ready-made graduates. In such a scenario it is obvious that the political status quo would be antagonistic to the idea of campus democracy and students’ mobilisation as they have repeatedly proved to be threats to the ruling class in the past. Thus, what goes on is a farce in most of the campuses in the name of students’ politics. The thinking youth is tactfully kept out of the entire political process through the middle class squeamishness “politics is bad”. What is currently going on at the Aligarh Muslim University is actually a microcosm of the situation in the entire country.

         The panacea to the above problems lays in active participation of the students in the political process. They have to rise above this culture of apathy in order to secure a better future for themselves. Coming back to AMU, it is essential that we reclaim our politics from the clutches of lobbyism that has eroded the essence of our Students’ Union. There is a need for more political sensitisation among the common students. The onus lies on each and every student who is a stake holder of the prestige of this great seat of learning. The task is difficult, but not an impossible one. With our joint and sustained efforts we can surely salvage our fading glory.

The Memorandum Presented to the Honourable VC sahab

To,

The Vice Chancellor,

Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

Sub: To respectfully draw your attention towards certain issues of democratic space and student activism in the campus

Sir,

WE THE Student Organisations working among students within the campus AT AMU, would like to jointly call your attention towards certain issues of campus democracy and student activism that affect all of us in the University.

These issues are:

1. Putting up posters and pamphlets in the University is prohibited unless prior permission has been granted from the Proctor’s office. WE FEEL THIS STEP HAMPERS THE FREE FLOW OF IDEAS BETWEEN STUDTENTS which is an essential part of campus life. Posters and pamphlets are essential VECTORS FOR DISSEMATION OF THOUGHTS AND MASS OUTREACH. While we do understand the need for regulation, the fact is that the need for prior permission deters many students from giving fruition to their ideas.AGAINST THE COMPULSORY prior permission, we propose that STUDENTS BE ALLOWED TO PUT UP THEIR POSTERS WITHOUT RESTRICTION AND SUBSEQUENTLY IF ANYTHING IS FOUND OBJECTIONABLE OR AGAINST PUBLIC INTEREST, IMMEDIATE AND APPROPRIATE ACTION BE TAKEN ACCORDINGLY. THIS IS WHAT IS BEING FOLLOWED AT OTHER CAMPUSES OF ESTEEMED INDIAN UNIVERSITIES AS WELL.

And as far as the issue of defacing of the University walls is concerned, WE STRONGLY OPPOSE IT AND REQUEST THAT the administration should designate certain spots, or put up notice boards, in front of the different faculties and important landmarks of the University where everybody may have the freedom to post their ideas. Any posters or pamphlets anywhere other than at the designated spots must then be prohibited. This would also make the work of regulation easier as the material to be checked would be concentrated at some known places.

2. THE SECOND ISSUE IS RELATED TO PROVIDING SPACE FOR ORGANISING VARIOUS EVENTS, DISCUSSIONS AND OTHERS AT VARIOUS HALLS, ETC AT AMU. AMU being one of the most intellectually sound campus in India has a highly vibrant student community that seeks to exercise its creative faculties by organizing debates, discussions, exhibitions and the like among themselves. This requires the use of spaces like halls, conference rooms, etc, WHICH AMU HAS AVAILABLE IN LARGE NUMBERS, but students in general are not easily allowed TO USE THEM. This becomes a real hindrance in the proper development of a student’s creative energy, and we request that the spaces within our campus be made easily available to all bona fide students of the University. The cost of using these spaces should be removed, with the provision that the student shall be liable for any damage caused during his/her use.

3. THE THIRD ISSUE WE WOULD LIKE TO RAISE IS REGARDING The Students’ Union elections AT AMU, which are unfortunately dominated by money and muscle power, and this has destroyed the very essence of student politics. We request YOUR GOOD SELF TO STRICTLY enforce the election code of conduct in its full spirit, as we are in full support of clean elections.

There are, apart from these, many other issues of great concern in the University. But these are, in our humble opinion, some of the most pressing in terms of student’s voice and the democratic ethos of this institution. We hope that you will take note of our concerns and give them your due attention.

Thank You,


Yours Sincerely,
From:
Students’ Islamic Organisation of India(SIO)
Students of AMU
Muslim Students’ Organisation(MSO)
Aligarh Activists’ Society(AAS)
AMU Discussion Forum(ADF)

Sixty six years of India’s Independence: An Introspective Analysis

Before I begin this article it is essential that I make a few clarifications, as the nature of socio-political discourse makes it necessary.

Firstly, I am not an anti-Indian. Rather, as a concerned citizen of this nation, I consider it my moral responsibility to point out to the structural flaws and inequalities within our system, that has repeatedly corroded the prospects of the development of this country. Following the Anna Hazare thing, we have a radical and aggressive brand of nationalism that states either you profess Anna like views or you are an anti-Indian. (Much like George Bush’s Iraq war rhetoric, which stated: Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists.)

Secondly, I am not a Communist. In fact, I am an anti-Communist to be precise. I believe Communists don’t have a copyright of protesting against capitalism and neo-corporate globalization. Just like being anti-Anna doesn’t make you anti-Indian, being anti-Bush doesn’t mean you are with the terrorists, similarly, being anti-capitalist doesn’t make you a pro-Communist.

Talking about pointing to the structural flaws within our system, I could not think of a better day than 15th of August, the day of our independence, to do the job. Quite purposefully i wont enter into the debate whether we attained this independence, or was it a false one, given to us by our British masters at the cost  of a bloody partition of this country, which Arundhati Roy calls Britain’s final, parting kick to India. I find this debate useless and sinister. We cannot undo a decision taken sixty-five years ago by our forefathers. Its better we address the issues that confront us today. (I know its an un intellectual argument but its a practical one.)

So, on the 66th year of our Independence as the social networking sites get flooded with patriotic updates, as the tv channels throughout the day televise films and songs that boost up our nationalistic sensations( temporarily although), and as our soft-spoken, suave Prime Minister belts out his neatly drafted Independence Day speech at the Red Fort, let us have a close look at the ground realities of 21st century India.

A huge battallion of paramilitary forces armed with the most sophisticated ammunition, is closing in towards the forests of Central India, the heartland of this country. They are readying for a bloody war against an army which comprises of the poorest,(most of them haven’t seen a modern city, never travelled in a train or a bus) undernutritioned, malnourished people, the tribals and the adivasis of India. They have realised that their Government is too thick skinned to pay any heed to their non-violent protests against the forceful acquisition of their land and its natural resources, for the purpose of setting up Special Economic Zones. In despair they have joined the ultra-Left Maoist radicals who seek the overthrow of the Indian state through an armed revolution. The country is probably heading towards a civil war, or probably the war has already begun. Its a rich man’s war where the poorest of the poor fight and they die.

While the gala of the Independence Day celebration persists, we have a lady at the distant North-Eastern state of Manipur, stretching a world record few Indians bother to care about, and none feel proud about. Irom Sharmila, a Manipuri civil-rights activist and poet is on a hunger strike since 2 November, 2000, which makes her the person on the longest hunger strike in the history of the world. Her demand is the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act(AFSPA). AFSPA, a draconian law that is in operation in the seven North-Eastern states of India, and Jammu and Kashmir, entitles army personnel(except those of the lowest two ranks) to arrest without a warrant, shoot and even kill an individual, or a group of individuals, on the mere suspicion of being a terrorist. The act provides impunity to the army men from any prosecution or trial for their aforementioned acts. Under the garb of doctrine of necessity the AFSPA is essentially a license to kill.

Before I forget to tell you all, my friends and seniors hailing from Kashmir, like every year have told me that today, on the 15th of August, Kashmir has an unanimous strike and a blackout. 14th August, i.e. the Independence Day of Pakistan was celebrated with much pomp and show. The incident is a slap on the very ideals of equality and integrity that the Constitution of this country seeks to uphold. It shows how our successive Governments have badly messed up with an issue that required patience and a humane approach.

Politics in India seems to get murkier day by day. Today, we have a new brand of hate-mongering, incarnate politicians whipping up divisions along religious, casteist, and sectarian lines, thereby ensuring a polarized mandate, that facilitates and smoothens their road to power. Politics of hatred probably was never so much in the vogue in India, as it has been during the past few decades. I would refrain from citing examples of incidents of politics of hatred that have unleashed unimaginable proportions of atrocities, because they chill my spine.

As if this unending list of corrupt, hate mongering politicians who siphon out huge amount of money from the public exchequer and stash it up in their Swiss bank accounts, was not enough, we presently have an increasing number of CEOs and corporates hollowing out natural resources worth trillions of dollars from the forests and mountains of India. All this courtesy the two decades of liberalization and privatization in India, and also the large number of Memorandum of Understandings(which are secret documents and their terms and conditions have been concealed from the common people) signed between state Governments and these multinational corporations.

Unfortunately, the tragedy of this country does not end here. The youth of this nation, comprising the lion’ share of its population is a directionless mass, away from the realities of the day. Following the massive privatization of education, students have been turned into prospective buyers of University degrees. The policy in practice is: Throw your bucks and grab your degrees. Education, in India, today, is the most lucrative business. Thus, toeing the lines of its capitalist vanguards, the youth of today wears a ‘cool’ attitude, proudly declaring that it doesn’t care about politics, hardly realising that this depoliticisation is the biggest political happening of this decade.) It is enmeshed in the status-quo, oblivious to any sort of acts of resistance in unison against this capitalist exploitation.

The need of the hour is the development of awareness among the common mass. The youth of the country cannot afford to remain aloof from those very issues that affect us so seriously. It has to come forward and take up the cudgels of nation building. It has to think and prepare the roadmap of our future. Everyone has stakes in the future of this nation, come, let us realise it together.

P.S:- I did not attend the Independence Day function in my University. I find these symbolic events useless, they frustrate me. Present time demands persevering hard work rather than indulging in an hour’s show of flag hoisting and worthless rhetoric.

- By Riad Azam