The largest democratic country today faces a plethora of challenges and issues that needs to be tackled in favour of the voice of the people. The debunking of all other opinions in the name of nationalism is not convincing enough for the 1.31 billion people to believe the dominant ruling party. The voices of the upcoming leaders of our land are being strangulated and bridled while the present leaders go about making insensitive and uncouth remarks, setting laws that are only inviting serious communal tensions. In such a trying venture, they are poking their nose into the campuses of universities and victimizing the students in the process. One really wonders why the head of the country stands unmoved at this critical juncture. The recent story of Rohith Vemula of Hyderabad Central University and currently the arrest of the JNU student Union leader,KanhaiyaKumar revealed the true nature of democratic spirits in them who were ready to face the repercussions head-on.I believe what the student leaders did in both Universities was an expression of true democracy-free to speak, feel, dress, travel and have no fear of being discriminated and side-lined anywhere in the country. But democracy, as portrayed by the present democratsseems to paint another picture of what it really is. It is in this that we realize that the ideals of our nation are being stabbed by our own law-makers and protectors of our land. It’s such a pity that the government stooped so low to intrude into the serene atmosphere of the educational centres. It’s high time that the social democrats grow up and be more concerned about important matters rather than trying to find an anti-nationalist voicein the slogans of free expression. The university that stood for centuries and gave nations the leaders and patriots should not be dismantled and disturb by such a state of affairs.
It’s not time to play political games when the nation is facing an insurmountable task of poverty, lack of medication, illiteracy, environmental pollutions and other related issues. Please clean your courtyard before you sneak into your neighbour’s backyard!This will only add embarrassment to the government for being too narrow-minded and short-sighted if they do not cleaned up the mess immediately. Yes, the charges of sedition, if proven true, must be dealt according to the law but at the moment, the ruling government are not able to make any effective stand. Hence, the suggestion given by BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha on thispertinent issue can only be the solution right now, “Hope wish and pray that he’s released soon, sooner the better…”
(Note: This short piece is purely an individualistic opinion and does not epitomise the view of the institution with which the writer associates.)
Vebu Khamo
Kohima Bible College.
