SFI Poster on the JNUSU Demo at UGC

JOIN IN LARGE NUMBERS!!

SFI Pamphlet dated 20th Aug '07

20/08/07

Whatever happened to the radicalism of DSU!!

Friends,

In the last few months this campus has been a witness to the worst kind of opportunism and profound political ideological bankruptcy from the biggest proponents of revolution (the DSU). From their shameful glorification of the Gherao of the registrar on the 19th of February to the abject surrender in front of the administration (a class enemy in DSU’s terminology) things have come a full circle for them. Unable to overcome their frustration and guilty conscience for this surrender and betrayal of the mandate of the student community, which has even robbed them of their petty bourgeois radical rhetorics, they have unleashed a series of baseless and ridiculous attacks on the SFI and the office of JNUSU.

Devoid of any political and moral authority because of their own surrender before the administration by paying the fines (which can only be justified by their extreme eagerness to get the punishments revoked and a strong aversion for any principled struggle) they are increasingly succumbing to the malicious right wing slander against the SFI and the JNUSU. However, contradictions galore heavily if one looks at the positions DSU has been taking in order to hide its infantile petty bourgeois treachery vis-à-vis the JNU student movement. After the incident of 19th February the DSU took no time to brand everyone an agent of the administration who termed the gherao as regrettable. Even when the resolution of the JNUSU council was passed by the UGBM they violated the resolution by expressing regret for inconvenience caused if any in their individual appeal letters. If the SFI, JNUSU and a large part of the teaching community were agents of the administration when they termed the gherao as regrettable why did the DSU express regret at all? Did the fear of punishments make them comfortably abdicate their principled position?

During the whole period of agitation against punishments, the same JNUSU was the most radical body for the comrades of DSU. Has the JNUSU suddenly changed its character in a few days? Or is it the case that now the punishments have been revoked and DSU can once again indulge in sectarian attacks on the SFI and JNUSU?

Why did the activists from DSU not even try and put up a fight against the "unjust" fines imposed by the administration? How is it the case that for the people whose mission is to "reclaim the union from compromise driven political formulations" have completely changed their political position vis-à-vis the punishments in just 6 months? On the 20th of February it was revolutionary to glorify the gherao and any regret was sheer betrayal and treachery. On the 20th of August expressing regret and submitting fines has become the hallmark of revolution for the ultra left in the campus. One wonders if the goalposts of radicalism for these revolutionaries are decided by the mirror image of what the SFI is doing in this campus and not on any principled uncompromising ideological basis.

The hollow logics and self defeating arguments of the DSU by which they are trying to put the blame of everything on the SFI and JNUSU President is aptly captured by Com Stalin’s description of the Mensheviks in Russia. He said,

"There are two groups of Marxists. Both work under the flag of Marxism and consider themselves ‘genuinely’ Marxists. Nevertheless, they are by no means identical. More, a veritable gulf divides them, for their methods of work are diametrically opposed to each other….The first group usually confines itself to an outward acceptance, to a ceremonial avowal of Marxism. Being unable or unwilling to grasp the essence of Marxism, being unable to put it into practice, it converts the living, revolutionary principles of Marxism into lifeless, meaningless formulas….Discrepancy between word and deed is the chief malady of this group.[preaching radicalism to the students and accepting the punishment by the administration by paying fines] Hence the disillusionment and perpetual grudge against fate[it is because of SFI and JNUSU that we can not do anything], which time and again lets it down and makes a ‘dupe’ of it. …Comrade Tyszka described this group very aptly at the London Congress when he said that it does not stand by, but lies down on the point of view of Marxism." (Excerpt from Lenin as the organizer and leader of the Russian Communist Party).

We warn the DSU against indulging in such malicious and unprincipled attacks on the SFI and the office of JNUSU to overcome their own sense of betrayal and treachery to the student community. Rather than preaching radicalism to the SFI and student community they should try and provide an explanation for the extra mile they have gone in placating the administration by paying the fines which they themselves termed as unjust.

From their shameful justification of the Gherao to the unprincipled compromise with the administration by paying fines, DSU’s acts smell of an unprincipled liberalism best described by Comrade Mao, "…To be aware of one’s own mistakes and yet make no attempt to correct them, taking a liberal attitude towards oneself….liberalism is a manifestation of opportunism and conflicts fundamentally with Marxism…"(Excerpt from Combat Liberalism)

We appeal to the student community to politically isolate these forces and maintain a rock solid unity which would carry forward the legacy of JNU student movement.

Sd/- Roshan, President SFI-JNU; Rajiv, Secretary SFI-JNU.

JNUSU President's Fitting Reply to the Baseless allegations by the Ultra-Left

JNUSU Pamphlet dated 19th Aug '07

STUDENTS UNITED SHALL ALWAYS BE VICTORIOUS!!

(Above: Submitted by JNUSU President to VC on 10th Aug informing the administration of their breach in the agreement of 12th July and calling for immediate revocation of all punsihments)

(Above: Covering Letter to the 10th Aug letter, submitted by JNUSU President to VC on 17th Aug on the Indefinite Hunger Strike)

(Above: Letter from Chief Proctor's office stating the unconditional withdrawal of punishment of Jyotsna, JNUSU Jt. Secy) (Above: Letter from Chief Proctor's office stating the unconditional withdrawal of punishment of Dhananjay, JNUSU President)
(Above: Letter from Chief Proctor's office stating the withdrawal of punishment of Sandeep, JNUSU General Secretary, which is clearly based on the regret letter submitted by him on 17th July, and also granted by the administration after taking into cognizance his 'good conduct' during the interim period. It also warns him "not to repeat in future incidents like the gherao on 19th February, 2007")

CARRY FORWARD THE LEGACY OF PRINCIPLED STRUGGLES AGAINST ADMINISTRATION!!

DEFEAT THE HYPOCRITE AND TREACHEROUS ULTRA-LEFT!!

We congratulate the student community for the withdrawal of the fines on the JNUSU President and Joint Secretary by the JNU Administration. Though the insensitive administration had taken a stiff position, it was the long and arduous struggle waged under the leadership of the SFI-AISF that the adminsitration was forced to come to the negotiating table and accept all the genuine demands of the students. By using the Gherao of the Registrar on 19th February, 2007 as a pretext, the administration had sought to crackdown on the JNU student movement. However, the valiant struggle of the students under the banner of the JNUSU which included a 12 day indefinite hunger strike during the month of June-July compelled the administration to accede to the students' demands.

While the SFI kept reiterating the position that the JNUSU Office-bearers should not give any sought of appeal to the administration as it would undermine the sanctity of the JNUSU as an institution that has had a historic legacy of 3 decades of valiant struggles, the AISA and its General Secretary in the JNUSU went overboard submitted appeal letters to the administration along with the other concerned students. The administration went back on its agreement with the JNUSU on 12th July, '07 and imposed fines on the 8 concerned students even though they had submitted appeal letters as pointed out in the agreement. The administration also revoked the fine on the JNUSU Genereal Secretary, Sandeep (displayed above) based on the regret letter he had submitted. However, the revocation was clearly on the condition that he had to watch his behaviour in future. This clearly reflected his meek surrender before the administration, thereby treacherously back-stabbing the entire student movement. Following his path, the other 8 students after offering lame opinions, also paid their fines to the administration to get their registrations done, inspite of the continous appeals by the SFI and the JNUSU President and Joint Secretary not to do so.

However, the SFI mainatined its principle position and refused to submit any letter to the administration or pay even a single pie as fine. Carrying this forward, the JNUSU President submitted two letters to the Vice-Chancellor on 10th and 17th August, '07 (Displayed above) asking him to intervene in the matter and not to precipitate things, thereby creating an impasse. It was also conveyed to the VC in letter on 10th Aug that the JNUSU would be forced to go into agitational course of action if the punishments were not revoked. The covering letter dated 17th Aug clearly stated that since the JNU administration had not revoked the fines, the JNUSU had launched an indefinite hunger strike. Following this pressure, the adminsitration was forced to get its act together and revoke the punishments on the JNUSU President & Joint Secretary through two letters from the Chief Proctor's Office. This revocation carries no conditionality and also the text & tenor do not point out any need to watch their behaviour or the fact that punsihments were being revoked for their "good conduct" unlike in the case of the JNUSU General Secretary.

This victory once again reaffirms the legacy of the JNU Student Movement and its pivotal force, the JNUSU wherein the glorious and valiant struggles waged in the last 30 years have led to major achievements for the student community. The SFI-AISF led JNUSUs in the past years have upheld this tradition and thorugh the numerous struggles have time and again defeated the nefarious designs of the administration. The compromising positions of the Ultra-Left in the campus, that is the AISA and DSU have once again stands exposed before the students who refuse to go beyond the rhetoric and easily succumb before the adminsitration. We appeal to the student community to isolate such treacherous and spineless forces and rally behind the SFI-AISF in the coming days to achieve all the genuine demands of the students.

Release against High Fee Structure in Orissa

STUDY AND STRUGGLE RIGHT PATH!!

SFI Pamphlet - 18th Aug, '07

18/08/07

Carry forward the legacy of principled struggles against the anti-student administration!
Expose the hypocrisy and treachery of the General Secretary of the JNUSU!

Friends,

We would like to congratulate the student community for forcing the administration to withdraw the unjust fines imposed on the JNUSU President and Joint Secretary without imposing any further conditionality. On the 1st day of the indefinite hunger strike itself the Chief proctor’s Office issued letters to the JNUSU President and Joint Secretary which says that on the basis of letters written by the JNUSU President on 10th August and 17th August, the fines imposed on the JNUSU President and Joint Secretary are being waived off. The administration was also forced to remove the humiliating text and tenor of the letter given to other students earlier which said that these punishments are being removed because of the “conduct” of these students and carried a warning of such actions in the future as well.

This is a big victory for the JNU student movement and after yesterday’s agreement, the JNU student community has foiled the nefarious designs of the JNU administration to suppress and browbeat the JNU student movement and the office of JNUSU on the pretext of the incident of 19th February after a prolonged struggle, which was started on June 23rd.

The student community under the leadership of the JNUSU President and Joint Secretary has forced the administration to accept the principled position taken by the UGBM held on 8th March that after the students have expressed regret for the unfortunate incident of 19th February all punishments should be withdrawn without imposing any further conditionality on the students.

While this victory has once again reaffirmed the stature of JNU student movement it is very unfortunate that certain organizations and their representatives in the JNUSU have made every possible attempt to betray and backstab the spirited struggle of the student community which was based on the UGBM’s principled position. The SFI strongly condemns this politics of treachery and betrayal by the ultra left (read the AISA and DSU) in our campus. Unable to provide an explanation for their abject surrender in front of the administration by paying fines to get registration (the inspiration for which came from the JNUSU Gen Secretary’s unilateral submission of regret to the administration in order to get his punishment revoked), these self proclaimed revolutionaries have now shamelessly resorted to the logic of right wing forces to attack the SFI and the JNUSU President. In its yesterday’s pamphlet the AISA has said that there is a nexus between the SFI and the JNU administration and that is why the fines on JNUSU President and Joint Secretary have been removed. Depicting absolute bankruptcy and degeneration they have repeated the right wing’s slander against the JNUSU that hunger strikes are mere electoral gimmicks and an eye wash for the new students. Such slander and mud slinging against the left, which often converges with the extremely right wing reactionary
attacks is another hallmark of infantile petty-bourgeois type of ultra left politics in communist movement since the very beginning.

The SFI would like to warn these coward and saboteur elements to desist from spreading such lies and inflict any further damage to the glorious legacy of JNU student movement which has been built after immense sacrifices and struggles by the students of this university over more than 3 decades. If they do not have the political ideological motivation and courage to fight against injustice and oppression then they should rather sit happily in their rooms and shed away all their revolutionary rhetoric aimed at misleading the student community. The Gen Secretary of the JNUSU along with the AISA and the DSU owe an explanation to the student community for their continuous betrayal and ever changing positions on the incident of 19th February. We would like to challenge the JNUSU Gen Secretary and these organizations to take up a position vis-à-vis these questions before trying to malign this historic victory of the JNU student movement over this authoritarian and anti-student administration.

1. The AISA and DSU both celebrated the gherao in their pamphlets after 19th February. The General Secretary and other representatives from AISA in the JNUSU council abstained on the resolution expressing regret on the incident of 19th February which was moved by SFI-AISF representatives. The DSU voted against the JNUSU Council’s resolution expressing regret on the incident of 19th February. Do the AISA and DSU sincerely believe that the incident of 19th
February was a regrettable one and was an aberration in the student movement in JNU?

2. Why did the DSU activists violate the resolution of the UGBM when they submitted letters to the administration expressing regret for inconvenience caused if any, which was a violation of the UGBM resolution?

3. Why did the JNUSU General Secretary unilaterally submit an appeal expressing regret to the administration when there was no consensus on this issue in the all organization meeting held before the agreement was reached?

4. Why did the other rusticated students submit their fines when it was decided in an all organization meeting that imposing fines was a breach of the agreement on the part of the administration?

5. On what basis have the AISA and DSU accused the JNUSU President and Joint Secretary of disassociating from the struggle, when it was only them who refused from submitting the fines and were hence denied registration till the 14th of August?

6. If the AISA and DSU thought that the JNUSU President has abdicated his responsibility of fighting for the students then why did not the Vice President and General Secretary start an agitation against the administration rather than convincing everybody to submit the fines? Were the JNUSU General Secretary and Vice President trying to act as good boys of the administration?

The SFI would like to challenge the AISA and DSU to provide answers to these specific questions, which they have shamelessly evaded so far. We would also advise them to refrain from spreading lies and misinformation in order to conceal their own ideological, political and moral bankruptcy. It takes more than empty rhetoric against the SFI and the Left movement in India to fight against injustice and an anti-student administration; it is clear that the AISA and DSU are bereft of even an iota of self-respect and resolve to fight for the rights of students. SFI appeals to the members and sympathizers of AISA and DSU to seriously introspect about the kind of opportunist and compromise-driven politics which is being justified by their leadership in order to settle scores with the SFI. The conscious student community of JNU would give these traitors a fitting rebuff in a not so distant future.

Sd/- Roshan Kishore, President SFI-JNU; Rajiv Kr Ranjan, Secretary, SFI-JNU.