Former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union and CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar alleged that a few persons in the name of patriotism are showing their devotion to one government, which is also anti-national.
He was Speaking on “Indian Youth at crossroads,” at the centenary of B V Kakkilaya organised by Samadarshi Vedike, M S Krishnan Memorial Trust, Hosathu Monthly and Navakarnataka Publications, here at Bishop Jathanna Auditorium on Saturday.
Kanhaiya Kumar said that attempts are being made to stall the rise of the movement.
“The movement by sections of marginalised are suppressed by another section of movement by pitting against each other. Youth force have been converted to “crowds” to follow the commands of their leaders. The country should awake on such a dangerous trend,” the leader said.
“The BJP is not speaking anything new now. The tactics of dividing Hindu-Muslims was discussed in the initial meetings of Bharatiya Jana Sangha. BJP too has been following it since the beginning,” he said.
Stating that youth have become victims of misinformation, propaganda and undemocratic process, Kanhaiya Kumar said, “such victimisation led to the strengthening of anti-people politics. But youth have enough information at their hand. The youth force should develop rational thinking capacity. Until social institutions become democratic and scientific temperament is infused in the minds of the youth, we can not become socialist and secular society,” he added.
Minority views
“Democracy is where minority views are given space, which should be understood by the ruling government. To suppress democratic movements, the government has started deducting funds to public universities in the country.” When the society is not democratic, how can a state become democratic? he asked.
He said that questions had to be asked to the government, even if it were ruled by those with whom the students were having ‘friendly relations’.
“Our responsibility is to ask questions to the government. Our real strength is in whether we can question our own government or not,” he said.
Kanhaiya Kumar said that unless people become politically conscious, selling their vote for money and liquor will not stop. Owing to the technological revolution and information revolution, there is disintegration everywhere.
Through the cultural shock of propagating on eating beef, people are being emotionally organised by a few in the country. How many days such emotional blackmail will continue? he questioned.
He said that the BJP has caught the human psychology pulse to emotionally unite the people.
Kanhaiya Kumar said democracy will be part and parcel in India. The world economic crisis gave birth to the authoritarian regime in the world.
Slogans against Kanhaiya
A handful of ABVP activists who shouted slogans outside the hall where Kanhaiya Kumar was addressing the gathering, was taken away by the police. Two ABVP activists who had entered inside the hall were identified by the SFI activists and were taken away by the police.
The police had strengthened the security in and around the hall in the wake of stiff opposition expressed by the members of Hindu organisations against Kanhaiya’s visit to Mangaluru.
According to DCP Law and Order Hanumantharaya, around 39 persons belonging to Sri Rama Sene, Hindu Jagarana Vedike, and ABVP were taken into preventive custody in connection with the incident.