Debate Organized by me: Politics is not for students

Politics should not be the cup of tea for the students

Recently in many programmes and seminars I attended I discovered that there is a high-pitch rhetoric coming from the top notch of our AMU administration for the students particularly. It propagate that student should never shout slogans at any condition, or protest on the road and they have nothing to do with any political activity. The very basic image of a student is redefined as someone who study, study and only study. It was also mentioned time and again being the self-propagated representative of all good students, that all serious students themselves consider any political activity by students as something abhorrent, detrimental to the course of serious academic training and research. I really felt bad for all the students who once changed the discourse of history in Europe through Feminist or Radical movements. I really felt bad for the student movement in Ahmedabad ( a state with a communal history since 1767) in 1960’s by the Hindu and Muslims students together hand in hand which was rarely seen later against the prise rise & an anti-poor economic policies of the state. I also sympathized the soul of the brilliant students of Presidency College, Calcutta who in order to attain the ‘utopian’ classless society then gave in their lives in the 70’s. And at a time when every political party is manipulating and bowing to Centre for vested interests, I felt terrible for the students of Osmania University who with exemplary courage even after facing all the brutal attacks in their hostels, campus premises by the Police, RAF, Para-Military personnel still going strong and teaching politics to the full time politicians. 4 days back some of my friends from the Department of Cultural Studies, The English and Foreign Languages University joined these Osmania students to protest the presence of police in campus and was chased and beaten badly(including many girls) by the Police along with some media personnel. Shouting slogans and protest are the order of the day there. I can only say that such rhetoric needs introspection rather.

Recently I though let’s check it from the students of Aligarh Muslim University itself on letter and spirit through the greatest tradition bestowed by us since the days of Siddons Debating Club that what they think about such rhetoric and the subsequent developments in our country. And after all it is they who to decide.

At a time when the debating culture is waning at the AMU campus, on the 1^st day of Aftab Hall Lit.& Cul. Society organized Inter-Hall Literary and Cultural Fest “Quindeel” on Feb 18, 2010 at the Common Room, Aftab Hall more than 30 students participated to speak for and against the topic which is “Politics should not be the cup of tea for the students.” The Common Room was jam-packed and witnessed a great day of free speech and discussion with constant clapping from the audiences. Let’s have a look on their arguments and comments by some of them. Readers may note that among 32 participants only 5 spoke for the motion and supported the idea not to have any political activity at the campus. However I was overwhelmed with the immense capability of debating by the students on both side after long time and it made me believe that if they won’t be given voice properly to express themselves only the rotten ones will enter the system. AMU can surely be proud of its debaters.

The event was judged by Janab. Md. Ilyas Sb. & Janab Ayub Shabab Sb. of Senior Secondary School( Boys) and Prof Madihur Rahman Sherwani, Dept. Of English.

For the motion

Mr. Amir Khan( B.Tech III, NT Hall)- “What comes in the mind when we talk of students. It is who study. The only thing they learn from politics is corruption and it ends their sense of ethics. A student can serve his country better through academic achievements only. The statistics of Bangladesh from 2001-2007 showed that campus politics has led to violence and loss of lives. Is it that we want to teach our fellow students?”

Ameen Abdul Qayyum( B.Com IInd, S.Z Hall)- “Though students are the most dynamic segments of the society, but politicisation serve their interest in no way. In my Kerala, students are tired of seeing fellow students fighting because someone is SFI, someone ABVP instead of their studies. ICICI chairman once said that Kerala lost a lot due to student politics and its image was affected. Politics for the student, or Students Union are the knife to an infant who doesn’t know how to use it.”

Md. Shibli( B.Tech N.T.Hall)-“Students politics cant be the sole factor of change”.

Mr. Tanveer Ahmad ( BALLB, VM Hall) – “Politics has taught the students how to get hungry for power which should not be his education at that stage. However I support restoring Students Union in the campuses like AMU, Jamia because democracy is the basic necessity and today recommendations like Lyngdoh ones are there and can be implemented. Politics however should not be the short cut for students.”

Against the motion

Readers may note that as many students debated against the topic I am putting the selected ones here.

Harish Kumar( B.Ed)- “The state has always felt threatened of its authority to control by the immense impact by the students movements on its people. “

Mukesh Kumar Gupta- “Today at a moment when socialist practices and values are being pushed aside by the Multi-Nationals Companies student’s participation in the politics is the only way out for the vast majority. Even in AMU commercialization of education has started with doubling up the charges of application forms every year and the administration has no fear to felt threatened of from any systematic student protest organized by the AMUSU. Socialist figure like Ram Manohar Lohias came out of student politics, so students other than likes of Rahul Gandhi have this way to attain political right only.”

Hamid Raza Khan( MA Aftab Hall)- “The universities are run like monarchies and people sitting at the top manipulates all the time to snatch the democratic rights of their subjects. “

Shaiq Siddiq Shah( BALLB I, VM Hall)- ” It is only we who can change the world. I will join politics in Kashmir as soon as I complete my education and I expect some political teaching at AMU. Politics should not be something about which a student would shy away. “

Anzar Wani( Phd. In Arabic, Aftab Hall)- “ Allama Iqbal encouraged the youth to strive for their political rights since the very beginning”.

Mohd. Shoaib( BTh Final Aftab Hall)- “Politics is like the salt in the food which is our education at our universities. If you miss that, you have already spoilt the complete taste you expected....Even our Provost Sir cant run the Hall for a minute without indulging politics to any staff or student for that matter, then why we should stay from it? AMU has always maintained a double standard in case of students. Today among the 16 central universities only 2 have Students Union and they are the best in the country i.e JNU & DU.”

Abdullah Mallik, (NRSC)- “ Politics is the never ending struggle to attain power and the art to attain power must be infused in a society early if it wants to move ahead of others.”

Hussain Mahmood( BSc IInd Year, VM Hall)- “ The family system of politics in India is threatened by the student politics in the campuses. That’s why Rahul Gandhi visit AMU and advocate students to join politics in front the Vice-Chancellor but never mince a word about restoring Students Unions at AMU or in Jamia. If this continues students should take up power from the authorities even if it leads to anarchy.”

Mr. Mohd. Nauman( BALLB III BRAmbedkar)- “ The generation of Doordarshan can’t decide the generation of Star Television. Politics is the beginning, politics is the mean and politics is the end. Even before a student, one is the citizen of India and he enjoys his democratic rights from the state. If state can give him his right why not the institution he is associated with. This is sheer hypocrisy.”

Sayyed Arif Hussain( VM Hall)- Students involvement in activism is utmost important and it was time and again proved. Even the Jessica Lal murder case was brought into light by the student activism only. Students politics and the resulted violence that opponent talk about is two different thing. The violence often results due to the influence of external factors and one should check that first before abolishing with the institution.

Peerjada Rauf( BSc Final M.M.Hall)- If one read psychology he would know that a person learn things mostly before 25 and later he just manipulate with his early knowledge. If we will be forced to learn politics at 40, is that because AMU administration wants us to be mediocre later. The justification of abolition of Students Union on grounds of violence needs serious retrospection and it should be known that state always act to dismantle the student politics through criminalization. If violence is the reason why not we shut down the Parliament then when Parliamentary elections became the result of violence?

My Comments to all this- Only democracy has the power to check itself and to do away with the democratic institutions for students is unfortunate and a great hindrance for the all round development of any student. I think now the time has come AMU should listen to the sane voices of students rather than imposing such baseless rhetoric at programmes and functions. We the students challenge the AMU administration to hold a University level debate on it which shall be recorded and posted on Youtube so that the world can judge. The AMU adm. will be free to depute any and as many EC, AC, Court Member or member from Teachers community or students or administration itself to defend their stand that AMU students should stay away from politics and do not need democratic representation. And on the other side there will be only students who will be indulged in war of words only and not mud slinging. So many people of administration are the part of these yahoo networks. I hope all of them would like to justify their stand and take this challenge. And then see who win and who lose? After that you are free to say and do anything.

A democratic challenge for democracy

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. -Voltaire (1694-1778) French writer and historian.

This quotation is one of my favourites and I often utter these words. Today I am quoting with some significance.

I have heard ( not met yet) of Janab Prof. Javed Akhtar sb. from an old friend of mine Yasir, who is in MBA(Final) and in a ndtv video on AMU. He praised him calling “down-to-earth” person. However he earned my huge respect until recently when he replied to the allegations levelled against him in conducting the recent AMU Court elections(sadly students are still missing there though) in his capacity as Chief Election Officer in a very patient way which shows his utmost respect for democratic values needed in a society which ‘aim to thrive’. I can’t but praise him for this.

Whatever his role was during the election and whatever are the allegations put against him on this yahoo group, his endeavour to listen to other complains against him offering discussion and free speech and then answering them in the best possible & logical way definitely deserve applause and to me this is unseen in the recent times from any kind of person involved with the administration accepting public trial on the mind boggling web world. I hope in future he and others will show this magnificent courage to face the truth.

Free speech and discussion should always be there in our Aligarhrian society if it intends to develop and embrace the changes happening around the world. And in case of university from studies to research it can’t move forward without these pious ideas. The systematic failure at our university has often resulted from the absence of both and if I am not wrong this led to the choice of ‘violence’ over discussion in the common psychology of the students which is completely detestable and can’t be tolerated at any cost. The fear of extra-legal steps from the side of AMU administration has often mellowed down many virulent debaters to freely discuss the ailment in our institution and pushed them in the dark, which space was later frequently occupied by the rogue students who only know violence as their language as reaction. I have some friends here who are virulent-debater turned disappointed anarchist (at any point suffered from this system) who justifies such re-action and I end up in fierce argumentation defaming them.

If we read Yashpal Committee on Higher Studies today which is a law after getting ratified by the Ministry of HRD, it put the idea of university as “A university is a place where new ideas germinate, strike roots and grow tall and sturdy. It is a unique space, which covers the entire universe of knowledge. It is a place where creative minds converge, interact with each other and construct visions of new realities. Established notions of truth are challenged in the pursuit of knowledge.”

Let’s question ourselves whether AMU stand by these ideas or not. If not then it can never achieve the national status it dreams, leave alone global even after it take all steps, any initiative, any new venture which predict revolutionary change. The other universities are far ahead today (We only relish being on 8^th) and that’s because they respect the ideas enshrined for a university.

Now this democratic endeavour on yahoo group by Janab Prof. Javed Akhtar Sb. who is holding many responsible statutory post of AMU has given me the courage to throw a challenge to the AMU authority to hold a public debate of 1 hour at the Kennedy Auditorium or any other place( if not that then on yahoo groups), recorded on camera to be put on Youtube so that the entire world can see on the matters of democratic rights( study only or with politics) of students at AMU and the concerns of possible result by the AMU authority taking account of all the facts and figures available to them, the statutory obligations on AMU authority and their reasons for limited use of it, the prevalent disciplinary procedure followed and its legal validity, the camera supported security and surveillance system and its relevance etc( of which Javed sahab is a signatory at the EC may be while the resolution was passed).

The University is free to depute any member and as many from the teacher, administration, statutory bodies like Executive Council, Academic Council, AMU Court in this public debate and on the other side there will be regular students like us (I would be thrilled to join and know some hidden debaters far better than me). All what shall follow will be topics and war of words. No personal attack. It would be about defending the stand.

Holding many responsible posts I hope not only Janab Prof. Javed Akhtar sb. will take suo moto notice of this challenge from the side of the students but also this message will reach to the AMU administration that we sane students believe in the supremacy of free speech and discussion.

No placement cell for Mass Communication department, But why?

It is the common grievances of all the students of Mass Communication Department here at AMU and recently during such a visit by the Hon'ble Vice Chancellor, such question was put forward by M.A(Prev.) students Mohd Adil Siddiqui & Mohammad Jadeed that why AMU doesn't conduct campus placement for the students of this department. The answer was avoided. I think this is not an answer that "not-so-famous" universities need placement cell and not like an reputed university of such stature like AMU. This is the age of competition and education is very much job oriented. When famous institution like IIT's or top universities of the world organizes job fair or investing millions in their Placement cell this is deplorable that AMU Authorities are taking the matter of placement for such an important Professional Course so carelessly.

Whatever AMU Mass Comm students has achieved it is due to their personal effort. Students will always try their best to find a job to bring smile on the faces of their parents, family etc- thats natural.But AMU? If AMU do not cope with time and ignore its professional responsibilities and do not implement advance agendas for students soon the reputation of such programmes( i.e Mass Communication) will be at stake.

Today AMU should learn from newly established Universities like MANUU who are boastfully conducting such placement programme and taking the onus upon themselves of sending their students in the reputed media agencies.

Mass Communication is an important subject and today we need more media persons of our community at the helm of affairs. We know its all about the business of news which shape the politics of the country.

I propose there should be a Central Placement Cell for the Faculty of Social Science which shall cater to the students of Mass Communication, MSW and other courses.

Today students of Mass Communication of AMU need hope from the side of the AMU administration and expect that they shall work for our welfare. Probably tomorrow we can stop other Adil Siddiqui and Jadeed from questioning and getting disappointed.

( We friends among ourself often vent out this frustration)

Denying democratic rights of AMU Students

I wish to congratulate all the new elected members of the AMU Court and expect that they would work hard towards the betterment of the Aligarh Muslim University. I also wish to curse those people who are trying to vitiate the “academic atmosphere (I am confused about how! What’s their modus operandi? Is it democratic or undemocratic? If democratic then whether it really vitiates or not? If vitiates then how come democracy is a virtue and always welcomed in the AMU’s official parlance? Oh! I am getting confused again)” of my beloved Alma mater. They must be shown the door else we will be doomed.

Being at my native place in Bengal now, lost in the idyllic milieu of the rural sceneries, feeling the last chill of winter and merrily reciting Shelley’s “If winter comes can spring be far behind” couplet, I can also imagine the rejoice of those “mature people” of administration or those from outside it in the practicing of their democratic rights and electing not selecting of people of their choice. So I believe all must know the contentment of election over selection among any voter. They also feel the same thrill in their blood seeing people of their choice mentioned in the same couplet by Shelley, “If winter (he/she) comes can spring (my/our benefit) be far behind”? But rarely any intellectual or sympathizer to AMU and its students mentioned about the representation of them in the AMU Court at any place in the recent times.

Ohh leave them! They are the immature, innocent looking faces with simple nature who don’t and should not know about the world, already bowed down by many pressures around. What they have to do with complicated things like Court and Academic Council? Do one thing! Gift them toy of a Grievance Committee instead, a very simple thing with no written rules like of AMU Court and AC. Yes this is ‘the democracy’ for you boys and girls! It’s completely made by us, the “mature minds” of the AMU who won’t ever allow polluting your mind with all this by the Insiders, Outsiders and so many siders lurking around at AMU only. Many can buy this idea, I can’t.

I think the time has come when students should be given their legitimate representation at the AMU Court and Academic Council to uphold the same democratic value AMU administration is talking about now to give the“new members” the same chance like other existing Court Members of electing the top post of Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor and others. And its not covered by Lyngdoh Committee recommendations also that administration hands are tied.

Whether an institution should have Students Union or not or what’s positive or negative influence at AMU or its legal validity, for this moment I don’t want to discuss that. However, I want one people to stand and argue that election of student representative at the AMU Court or Academic Council can hamper “peaceful academic atmosphere”. The AMU Act, 1981 put this obligation on the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor as his Power and Dutiesin the Statute 3(2), “It shall be the duty of the Vice-Chancellor to see that the Act, the Statutes, the Ordinances and the Regulations are duly observed, and he shall have all powers necessary to ensure such observance.” And AMU administration has been asked to give students mandatory representation at the AMU Court and Academic Council under the (Statute 14 (1) (xxx) (b)) & (Statute 18 (1) (xv)) respectively. (Source- AMU official website http://www.amu.ac.in/rsection/ShowCircularNotice.jsp?tp=Council ).

Now this is the responsibility of the AMU Court and respective Vice-Chancellor to be self-righteous and committed to protect the sanctity of the AMU Act because as an autonomous body nobody can check it except itself. I don’t know even why Former Vice-Chancellor Janab Naseem Ahmad did not conduct Academic Council elections for students when he restored AMUSU and elected student representative of AMU Court which is I think very important statutory body.

I was looking at the AMU Ordinances (Executive) and specially Chapter XV & Chapter XV (A) which give systematic procedure for the election of the students’ representative at the AMU Court and AC. And one must feel certain that if the Eligibility Criteria for students contesting the Court and AC are observed fully in compliance to the “Eligibility Criteria for contesting AC election mentioned in Section 2 of Chapter XV (A)”(I request Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor Sir to make the same for AMU Court also) only good students will enter in such statutory bodies.

I request the readers to read it and comment whether all student elections at AMU should be held by this Ordinances or not which I support to have a clean vibrant democratic student body. I sometime don’t understand, even when every rules and regulations are already there which is as strict as Lyngdoh Committee ones then why this ignorance from the side of AMU administration to use it?

Source-http://www.amu.ac.in/rsection/9977.pdf

Chapter XV(A) of AMU Ordinances(Executive)

2. Only a student eligible to vote under Clause (1)

shall be eligible to be a candidate for election.

Provided that no student, though otherwise eligible to

be a candidate can be elected to membership of the Academic

Council if :-

(a) he has failed to complete the whole course to

which he may at any time have been admitted at

this University or any other University, within

period prescribed for that course; or

(b) he has failed to clear or complete part of a course

that he is currently admitted to within the

minimum period prescribed for that part of the

course by the Ordinances (Academic); or

(c) he has been judged guilty of indicipline or gross

misconduct and has been expelled from the rolls

of the University for a period of six months or

more for the offence; or

(d) there is a break exceeding one academic year

between the course last completed by him at

this University or any other University and the

next course to which he has been admitted; or

(e) the period for which he has been a regular

studnet of this University (Excluding Pre-

University/Senior Secondary Course) exceeds 8

years; or

(f) he is in the service of the University or any other

Government or Statutory body notwithstanding

that he is on leave.

(* E. C. Res. No. 57 dated 19. 04. 1986)

After knowing all this , sheer ignorance and the eagerness to snatch the democratic right from the students to send their representative at the AMU Court and Academic Council can only be termed as “Unfortunate”. Students are really unlucky and have enough reason to be felt grieved.

If people from the Supreme Governing Body of AMU and our Chief Executive Officer are not eager to follow the AMU Act then who will?

The time has come to be honest to our job.