Sitharaman’s statements leave JNUSU “deeply dismayed”

Sitharaman, who is an alumni of Jawaharlal Nehru University, said that there were forces within campus “waging a war against India”, and they were “also seen with elected representatives of the institution’s students’ union”.

“I feel sad at what is happening in the institution. It is not encouraging at all. t is very different to have a party, whose ideology I may not agree (with), but the way in which they are probably led by forces which are anti-India—when I say anti-India, definitely it is a stated position they are waging a war against India in their pamphlets and their brochures. That makes me feel uneasy,” said Sitharaman.

The recently concluded JNUSU elections were marred by ABVP members beating up members of the Left Union panel, which has won all the four posts. The JNUSU, in a statement, said it was “deeply dismayed” by Sitharaman’s statements. “As a former student of this university and as a senior minister, such statements calling JNUSU members anti-India and ‘waging a war against India’ are utterly baseless and condemnable,” it said.

It is not just JNUSU which was dismayed by her comments. Sitharaman’s contemporary and close friend during her days in JNU, NR Mohanty, is outraged. Mohanty, who was the JNUSU president in 1982, said his party, Students for Democratic Socialism, had allied with her Free Thinkers, and it was this alliance that made him the president.

“I would like to ask her, why is it that your government which started the ‘anti-India’ campaign against student leaders including former JNUSU president Kanhaiya, has not been able to prove any of the charges legally. Even a charge sheet could not be framed as there is no material to file a charge sheet. You can’t brand anyone anti-India. The Constitution allows us to show our allegiance to things of our choice. Sedition applies only if comments have been used to incite violence directly or indirectly. This is why all the sedition charges against Kanhaiya fell through. Now, because of your allegations, he has become an international celebrity,” pointed out Mohanty, who is now director of media institute JIMMC in Noida.

Mohanty said that such charges only create icons, youth or otherwise. “Now, they have gone and arrested those five human rights activists. They have become household names. Thankfully, the judiciary exists. If there was no judiciary, her party, BJP, would have ravaged the country,” said Mohanty.

“She was one of the brightest students in the economic departments and a feisty speaker always. Unfortunately, she is now making illiterate statements like those made by Union Ministers Giriraj Singh and Jayant Sinha. I am prepared to debate this on a national platform,” quipped Mohanty.