Dimapur, February 20 (MExN): Alumni of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (JNU), along with students and alumni from all central universities, in Nagaland State have decided to come out in solidarity with their alma mater and its students.
In view of the events unfolding out of the incident that happened at JNU recently, the JNU Alumni Nagaland along with friends and well wishers have organised a solidarity walk and a sit-in programme on Monday, February 22 from 3:00pm to 4:00pm, starting from the DC Court junction. People concerned by the current atmosphere in the country are welcome to join the programme.
A press note from the alumni today stated that the programme will highlight the curtailment of freedom of speech, particularly of educational institutions across the country, growing intolerance in India, attack on the democratic and secular ethos of the Constitution and the attack on the media.
In a statement released to the press earlier, concerned students and alumni of JNU in Nagaland State said that since the arrest of the JNU Students’ Union President, Kanhaiya Kumar, the University has been branded as a “space of anti-nationals, terrorists and Maoists and its normal functioning has been suspended.”
“As a result of the above incident, JNU community has faced accusations and threat to our physical safety within and beyond the campus,” noted the Nagaland alumni and students of the prestigious University. JNU, they asserted, “epitomizes” unity in diversity. “It is a space of inclusiveness where different ideas are discussed and debated and often questions received knowledge and ideas that may be uncomfortable.”
While every individual, group or party has the fundamental right to freedom of expression, the alumni questioned the wisdom of the members of the BJP, Nagaland unit, in holding a protest rally (and the proposed upcoming campaign) to tarnish JNU and its intellectual, progressive and democratic ethos that have been built over the decades.
“We also question the wisdom of office bearers of the Nagaland unit, when the State at the Centre endorses the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, curb the right to food habits, religious freedom, cuts on education funds, aims to establish a homogeneous idea of nation based on Hindutva ideology,” affirmed the concerned citizens.
They further maintained that they do not endorse the aforementioned slogans and condemned the “propaganda of slander to defame JNU, the use of physical force, and the curbs on freedom of expression, the disregard for rule of law within and beyond the JNU campus.”
The citizens, who resolved to stand by affirmative policies for the upliftment of the weak and poor sections of society, minority rights, justice, democracy and freedom of expression under the provisions of the Constitution, appealed to the local media to ascertain facts before publication to avoid undue defamation of the institution and aggravating the situation, also holding it true for coverage and reporting on other issues.
BJP ‘systematically destroying’ democratic institutions: NPCC
Kohima, February 20 (MExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has stated that the JNU issue is a “pre-meditated program” of the RSS and BJP to shut down the institution.
“They are systematically destroying the democratic institutions,” stated President of NPCC, K Therie in a press release, listing the attack by the RSS on educational institutions such as FTII, TERI and students like Rohit Vemula. He also alleged that they BJP’s ministers are advocating the Gita to be declared as the ‘National Holy Book.’ “The growing of BJP is dangerous to the nation and especially to the minority communities like us,” the NPCC President reiterated.
“The RSS Chief is saying that the Tri-colour National Flag is not required and should be replaced by saffron colour. Should we support such a move? Should we allow to happen or stand together to stop from happening?” he wondered while condemning the attitude of the BJP Government for “systematically destroying the democratic institutions.”
