The whole country has seen on TV screens and read in newspapers what had happened on last Sunday evening at the Jawaharlal Nehru University and there is nothing more to elaborate the minute-to-minute details. For nearly three hours there had been mindless violence, which arguably can be called a one-way traffic with ‘witch-hunting’ of a section of students with the sole intention to ‘teach them an appropriate lesson’. The attackers masqueraded all throughout the ‘action’ time and as suggested by various video clippings, were armed with iron rods, lathis and bricks, all having potential to bring lethal consequences. There are now claims and counter-claims regarding the identities of the attackers and circumstances that led to this blood-stained mayhem. Although only a proper and unbiased inquiry will reveal the truth, there can be no hesitation to say that the attackers, whoever they had been, were strict non-believers of non-violence and were faithfuls of the principle(s) which follow a dictionary which is devoid of the ideas of freedom of speech and thinking. ‘They’ strictly follow the theory that ‘If you are not with us, you are anti-nationals’. JNU might just be the beginning and if the trend of systematic shrinkage of the voices of dissent continues, it might not be far when a big question mark will be placed after the word- democracy, which the nation has always claimed to be the driving and sustaining force for its existence.
JNU had been on the boil for nearly last three months over exorbitant fee hike and issue hadn’t been resolved as yet and as per reports, trouble started at the end of a peace march relating to it arranged by the JNU Teachers’ Association. Masked and armed men who were certainly not the students of the varsity were sent on an ‘assignment’ who invaded the hostel and spared none of the students, specifically hand-picking those who were reportedly Left and liberal believers and even the teachers and ambulances. Reprimands have flowed in deluge condemning the violence and interestingly, also from various rank-holders of the ruling dispensation who had been alumni of JNU. Solidarity had also started coming from all the prestigious universities of the globe and will increase further over the next few days. Now the question is, will there be proper punishments for those who did this dastardly act or most importantly, of those who appointed them? A billion dollar question which time will tell.
Fingers have also been raised at the police for their ‘spectator’ roles. And in the midst of so many questions, the clamour which is growing louder is the demand for strict punishment for those who engineered the episode. Time has come to rise above politics and unmask them.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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