JNU professor Makarand Paranjape slams Kanhaiya Kumar on his 'azadi' speech Published on Mar 7, 2016
JNU professor Makarand Paranjape took on JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar
for quoting wrong facts while delivering the 'azadi' speech in JNU
campus after getting bail from Tihar Jail.
JNU professor Makarand Paranjape took on JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar
for quoting wrong facts while delivering the 'azadi' speech in JNU
campus after getting bail from Tihar Jail.
Is JNU a democratic or a Left hegemonic space: Professor Makarand Paranjape
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) English Professor Makarand Paranjape
on Monday questioned if JNU was a “democratic space”, as was being
projected, or a “Left hegemonic space”. He also questioned why Leftists
had trouble accepting the “legitimacy of the Indian state”.
Delivering the 15th nationalism lecture, “India’s Uncivil Wars. Tagore,
Gandhi — JNU and what is ‘Left’ of the nation”, Paranjape also targeted
JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and the speech he made on the day of his
return to campus. Paranjape had earlier said the February 9 event on
Afzal Guru in JNU was held under a “false pretext”.
“Why is it so difficult to accept the legitimacy of the Indian state for
many people in the established Left? Forget about the Maoists. They
believe in armed revolution and we know that DSU (Democratic Students’
Union) is an offshoot of this Maoist party,” he said, even as the crowd
shook heads in disagreement.
“Look at the letter of resignation that Umar Khalid and Anirban wrote
from DSU. You know what they said? We are resigning because there is no
scope for dissent, there is no democracy in DSU. Look at the irony of
these situations,” he added.
Paranjape also questioned the democracy within the Left in general, and in JNU in particular.
“When we consider ourselves to be a democratic space, we should ask
ourselves if this is entirely true. Isn’t it possible that it is a Left
hegemonic space, where if you disagree you are silenced, you are
boycotted, you are browbeaten, or sometimes you’re brainwashed,” he
said.
He also said Kanhaiya’s speech had factual errors, “You said M S
Golwalkar met Mussolini; but did you check your facts? It was B S Moonje
who met Mussolini… I am not saying they were not impressed with the
fascists, they were. They thought it was very good to have an
authoritarian system. But please let us agree on what is factual and
what is not,” he said.
Paranjape also questioned why there were no solidarity statements from
China or North Korea. “We have so many statements from everywhere. Can
you show me a statement from North Korea or even from China? I have met
many Chinese intellectuals… they will tell you how bad things are but
ask them to take out a morcha, they can’t,” he said. However, a Chinese
student countered him saying there were protests in China, just like in
any other country.
JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) English Professor Makarand Paranjape
on Monday questioned if JNU was a “democratic space”, as was being
projected, or a “Left hegemonic space”. He also questioned why Leftists
had trouble accepting the “legitimacy of the Indian state”.
Delivering the 15th nationalism lecture, “India’s Uncivil Wars. Tagore,
Gandhi — JNU and what is ‘Left’ of the nation”, Paranjape also targeted
JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and the speech he made on the day of his
return to campus. Paranjape had earlier said the February 9 event on
Afzal Guru in JNU was held under a “false pretext”.
“Why is it so difficult to accept the legitimacy of the Indian state for
many people in the established Left? Forget about the Maoists. They
believe in armed revolution and we know that DSU (Democratic Students’
Union) is an offshoot of this Maoist party,” he said, even as the crowd
shook heads in disagreement.
“Look at the letter of resignation that Umar Khalid and Anirban wrote
from DSU. You know what they said? We are resigning because there is no
scope for dissent, there is no democracy in DSU. Look at the irony of
these situations,” he added.
Paranjape also questioned the democracy within the Left in general, and in JNU in particular.
“When we consider ourselves to be a democratic space, we should ask
ourselves if this is entirely true. Isn’t it possible that it is a Left
hegemonic space, where if you disagree you are silenced, you are
boycotted, you are browbeaten, or sometimes you’re brainwashed,” he
said.
He also said Kanhaiya’s speech had factual errors, “You said M S
Golwalkar met Mussolini; but did you check your facts? It was B S Moonje
who met Mussolini… I am not saying they were not impressed with the
fascists, they were. They thought it was very good to have an
authoritarian system. But please let us agree on what is factual and
what is not,” he said.
Paranjape also questioned why there were no solidarity statements from
China or North Korea. “We have so many statements from everywhere. Can
you show me a statement from North Korea or even from China? I have met
many Chinese intellectuals… they will tell you how bad things are but
ask them to take out a morcha, they can’t,” he said. However, a Chinese
student countered him saying there were protests in China, just like in
any other country.
No comments:
Post a Comment