SFI Pamphlet on 6th Aug '07

Shame On AISA’S Continuing Defense Of Violence In The Campus!!

Date: 06/08/07

Friends,

Acting in the most shameless and politically bankrupt manner the AISA is continuing with its defense of the incident of 3rd August where Rajan Pandey, a Joint Secy of their JNU unit indulged in a serious act of violence against a YFE activist at the Ad Block. Devoid of any logical defense (which is not possible for such a condemnable act of violence) they have vented out their frustration by attacking the SFI in their yesterday’s pamphlet. The SFI’s description of the incident of that day is an eyewitness account of what happened there and we would appeal to the AISA to stop spreading their lies and doctored stories in trying to defend Rajan. Also it fails our understanding as to how the SFI is responsible for the different versions of that incident by different organizations. In a ridiculous manner the AISA has alleged that the SFI has hidden the fact that Sumit had been discharged from AIIMS day before yesterday. We would like to make it clear to the AISA that the SFI was not reporting the whereabouts of Sumit in its pamphlet. What needs to reckoned with is the fact that Rajan’s attack on Sumit caused him serious injuries and he had to be hospitalized. We strongly believe that such incidents of violence have no place in our campus and are an attack on the progressive democratic culture of this university which has been built after a long and arduous struggle by the students of this campus. We would still appeal to the AISA to show some political integrity and courage to honestly accept that Rajan’s act of violence that day is a condemnable thing and can not be justified on any grounds. We would like to question the AISA that if they are so confident about Rajan’s innocence then why has he disappeared from the campus instead of facing the student community?

Accusing the SFI of Mahajot with the YFE : yet another example of AISA’s political bankruptcy:

The AISA has accused the SFI of entering into a grand mahajot with the YFE and other right wing political organizations because it has taken a position against Rajan’s act of violence. Such an accusation only reflects the degeneration of AISA’s so called radical and alternative model of the student movement in JNU. We would like to make it clear to the AISA that taking a position on violence against an individual does not mean that one supports his/her politics. The SFI has no illusions about the castist and reactionary politics of the Youth for (In) equality in this campus. The progressive student movement of this campus has always shown these organizations their due place in the political spectrum of JNU. We would also like to remind the AISA that it was only because of SFI’s valiant struggle against the divisive and caste based politics of the YFE that the students of this campus decided to give the leadership of the JNUSU in terms of the President’s post to the SFI in last year’s JNUSU elections. But we have always held that the only way to defeat and isolate these forces is waging a political struggle against them and mobilizing students against them on a political and ideological basis. The SFI has always fought tooth and nail against any oppression or act of violence by the right wing lumpens in this campus. We would like to remind the AISA that it was only because of the spirited struggle by the SFI and its JNUSU representatives that punishment was given to the JPF lumpens in the incident of caste abuse and violence against a dalit student in Lohit and Chandrabagha hostels last year. The SFI does not believe that going around and indulging in violence against right wing political activists would strengthen the Left movement in this campus. We would also like to warn the AISA against making such accusations and taking the consciousness of student community for granted in this manner. If lumpenism and violence have become the weapons for fighting organizations like the YFE for AISA’s brand of left politics in this campus, then the progressive student community would give a fitting rebuff to such political ideological bankruptcy.

Who has been acting as an agent of the administration!:

Continuing with their doublespeak and shameless behaviour the AISA has accused the SFI of taking a pro administration stand. We would only like to remind them about the recent agitation where the students have clearly seen the commitment and hard work of SFI AISF activists against the unjust punishments given to 11 students in the 19th February case. In fact we would like to question the AISA about why they have not been able to answer any of the questions raised by us on the submission of appeal by the General Secretary of the JNUSU, who is from their organization. His meek surrender before the administration which has still not revoked the rustications and fines on the students even after more than 3 weeks of a written agreement is nothing else but a complete betrayal of the student movement. We would advise the AISA to indulge in some self introspection before parroting their ultra revolutionary zeal in front of the student community of JNU.

The SFI appeals to the student community to isolate this kind of degenerate and unprincipled politics which would only weaken the left democratic student movement of our campus. We also appeal to the supporters of AISA to think about the kind of activities, which their organizational leadership is doing and justifying in the name of left politics in this campus.

Sd/- Roshan Kishore, President, SFI-JNU.

Sd/- Rajiv Kumar Ranjan, Secretary, SFI-JNU.

SFI Pamphlet on Lumpenism by Rajan Pandey

STUDENTS’ FEDERATION OF INDIA
Down with AISA’s Lumpenism!! Unite to maintain JNU’s Democratic Ethos!!

Friends, Date: 04/08/07

Unite against Violence on campus! :

SFI strongly condemns the physical assault on Sumeet Kishore a YFE activist by Rajan Pandey a Joint Secretary of AISA JNU Unit. This incident took place near the admission assistance booth at Ad Block yesterday. Both Rajan and Sumeet were standing at the bus stop to assist new students in their admission process. The incident started with an argument over assisting a new student when Sumeet was pushed by Rajan while trying to take her to the YFE’s admission assistance booth. There was a heated exchange of words and some pushing around between them which was pacified by the other students present at the bus stop. The SAA councilor Ameet Parmeswaran along with some other students tried to take Rajan away from Sumeet to ensure that nothing untoward happens. However after 5-10 minutes when it seemed that things had been resolved Rajan took a stone and hit Sumeet on his head without any kind of provocation.

Rajan has been suspended from the university by the Proctor’s Office and a Proctorial enquiry has been ordered into the incident. We believe that such violent acts are completely antithetical to the democratic culture of JNU. It is all the more shameful because the whole incident took place in front of new students and their parents. JNU is known for its progressive values and the entire exercise of admission assistance is also done in the same spirit where new students are helped in their admission process. The new students who come from different places all across the country get their first exposure to the political culture of JNU in the admission assistance process. However the degeneration which has led to a situation where new students are pounced upon with people fighting with each other and has culminated in this unfortunate incident has lowered the prestige of JNU in front of new students.

Down With AISA’s Political Bankruptcy:

In a most shameless manner the AISA has tried to defend Rajan’s behaviour by making cock and bull stories about the incident. If Sumeet was indulging in any kind of caste abuse then a complaint should have been lodged against him and the entire student community would have ensured that justice was delivered like last year’s case of caste violence in Lohit and Chanrabagha hostel. Indulging in violence for settling political differences has never been a culture of this campus. The student community in this university has always defeated the right wing and casteist elements politically and hitting people with stones has never been a part of left politics in this campus. This exposes the ideologically bankrupt politics of AISA and their complete disrespect for the values this university stands for. JNU is known for its culture of debate and discussions and this is what makes it a politically vibrant campus. However over the last few years AISA activists have been continuously intimidating and provoking students from rival political organizations. This trend has continued in the admission assistance process this year as well. In the 1st phase of admissions another Secretariat member of AISA Ravi had physically and verbally abused Bijay an SFI activist at the Ad Block Bus stop in front of a lot of students. The AISA has not even bothered to reply over that incident. And now they are defending this violent and criminal act by Rajan!

In yesterday’s pamphlet the AISA has also attacked the JNUSU President and Jt Secy for taking a position against this criminal act by Rajan. We strongly condemn this sectarian and unprincipled attack on the JNUSU Office Bearers who have rightly taken a strong position against a serious act of violence. The SFI would like to warn the AISA that the students of this campus would not allow them to take the democratic political culture of this campus on ransom for indulging in such acts repeatedly in the name of left politics. If the radicalism of AISA means threatening and attacking fellow students then we would like to tell them that JNU is not the suitable place for them to carry forward their politics.

Unite in defense of our campus culture! Punish Rajan for his act of violence:

However the SFI would also like to warn the ABVP and other right wing organizations who have tried to attack the entire student movement of this campus on the pretext of yesterday’s incident. The student movement of JNU does not need any lessons from the goons of ABVP on what is the culture of this campus. We would like to make it clear that acts like yesterday’s incident have never been a part of the left student movement in this campus and strict action should be taken against it to ensure that they are not repeated in the future. But this campus has not forgotten the criminal lumpenism of ABVP goons and other reactionary sections, which they have unleashed here. From the case of brutal caste atrocity against a fellow student in Lohit and Chandrabagha hostels last year to repeated cases of sexual harassment and violence by the JPF goons in the Paschimabad area of the campus in the last few years, there is a long history of violence by the ABVP. ABVP has the dubious distinction of indulging in worst form of mob violence in our university which was unleashed during Ashok Singhal’s visit. The students of this campus have always fought against such lumpen and reactionary elements and defeated them politically. We would advise the ABVP to desist from indulging in such attacks against the JNU student movement or else they will get a fitting rebuff from the student community.

The SFI demands that the Proctorial enquiry in this incident be completed as soon as possible and strict action should be taken against Rajan for what he has done. We also appeal to the student community to isolate the unethical and bankrupt political stand of the AISA on this incident to save the skin of their own activist. We would like to make it clear to the AISA that the democratic and progressive culture of this university which has been built and nurtured by generations of students after a long and arduous struggle will not be allowed it to die down or become degenerate because of such criminal mindset of individuals who claim to be the biggest supporters of the left movement in our campus.

Sd/- Roshan Kishore, President SFI-JNU.

Sd/- Rajiv Kr Ranjan, Secretary, SFI-JNU.