Cover Story : Progressive Movement of 21st Century

Many Facets of ‘Red’ Revolution

Communists are masters in playing with the words. It is very easy for them to project themselves in positive light while implicating the opponents with the select negative adjectives. They call themselves as ‘Left’ and ‘Progressive’ while calling the RSS and affiliated organisations as ‘Right’ and ‘Conservative’. There was a time when JNU was dominated only by communists and among Lenin, Mao and Marx who is the better thinker was the talk of the campus. After the arrival of RSS Shakha and rise of ABVP, the ideological battle is shaped between Nationalists and Communists. The Communism also shifted from Lenin, Mao to Bhagat Singh and Kabir. This was an ideological victory for the nationalists. Transgressing from the original principals of communism, communists made JNU a laboratory of dividing the Hindu society and appeasing Muslims. Lal Salaam unknowingly turned into “Wa-Alaikum-Salaam”.
In JNU, there are three prominent communist student organisations – SFI, AISF and AISA, respectively affiliated to CPM, CPI and CPI (Maoist-Leninist). These parent organisations of so called left oriented organisations are part of the democratic process in Bharat. They are not very clear about their views on nation and nationalism. CPI (ML) was once an underground organisation, now started believing in the democratic process with participation in elections. Despite unity on core principles, these organisations are separate structurally and strategically.
Besides these three main ‘left’ organisations, JNU always had some ultra-revolutionary groups working on the periphery. These groups organise discussions, programmes and movements on the campus. Most of them are directed against the nation and state of Bharat primarily opposing the Hindu Dhrama. Democratic Students Union (DSU), PSU, New Materialists, Revolutionary Cultural Front, Student Front of India, Janrang, Krantikari Naujawan Sabha (KNS), Birsa, Ambedkar, Phule Student Association etc are some of the prominent among them. There ultra-revolutionary thinking and programme includes supporting the separatist movements especially of Jammu & Kashmir, branding Goddess Durga as a prostitute while hailing Mahishasur as the King, celebrating beef festivals, open support to the armed revolution by Maoist for overthrowing the existing system, conferring martyrdom people like Afzal and Yakub Menon while questioning the judiciary etc.
DSU is the most active organisation among these peripheral organisations which is a student organisation of CPI (Maoist). CPI (Maoist) wants to unfurl the red flag on Red Fort through an armed revolution by the year 2050. In its report of 2013, CPI (Maoist) stated that many NGOs and organisations are working as its frontal organisations in Delhi, which also includes JNU. The University provides a natural ground for nurturing such organisations. DSU is behind both, the present controversy surrounding hanging of Afzal and rejoicing the ghastly killing of CRPF personnel in Dantewada of Chhattisgarh. Many other organisations also organise anti-Bharat and anti-Hindu programmes but their parent organisation and financial resources are hardly known. Their cadre or support base is generally very small, still for such programmes they get moral and numerical support from the mainstream ‘left’ organisations.
These smaller groups do not directly associate themselves with the mail communist groups but stand by them on almost all ideological issues. During the attack on Hindu Dharma or staging anti-Bharat protests, their red flag becomes one. The recent program on Afzal Guru was organised under the banner of DSU but all other leaders of communist organisations also reached there, student union leader Kanhaiya Kumar originally associated with AISF was one among them.
The main voice of these marginal organisations is anti-Bharat and anti-Hindu, therefore, their rise is antithetical not only to JNU but also for Bharat. The image of JNU is tarnished because of them. Historically these organisations never stood for interest of either students or the University. The role of such
obscure ‘leftist’ organisations in student politics should be immediately investigated.
Swadesh Singh (The writer was a JNU student and currently, teaches Political Science in a College of Delhi University.)