Dark History of AISA

JNU Rape Case : ‘Revolutionary’ Rapist

JNU is again in the limelight for wrong reasons. It is not the institution but the individuals and ideology that is being allowed to flourish on the campus

Nishant Kr Azad
Gender discourse is the monopoly of a section of intellectuals and activists associated with Communism. So the general expectation is they would practice gender equality and respect in all spheres of life. But alas! Like many other aspects, there seems to be a huge gap between what they preach and what they practice when it comes to the so-called ‘revolutionary’ ideologies associated with Communism. The recent incident of rape on the JNU campus and the kind of history that was brought out has exposed the mindset of these ‘revolutionary people’.  If we go by the narrative on the campus, the picture is gloomier. “This is the third incident of rape in this academic year. Earlier also the position holders in AISA was found indulged in such heinous and atrocious crimes. They have an endless story of atrocities on women. They talk about feminism and declare themselves as feminist but the truth is totally
opposite. They have a sick mindset. Under the garb of feminism they rape woman”, narrated a student of M Phil, Sanskrit, Needhi Tripathi of JNU to Organiser.

In a recent incident, an allegation of rape has been levelled by a 28-year-old PhD scholar against the AISA’s Delhi State President Anmol Ratan. The victim has alleged that on August 20, 2016, the accused offered her a copy of a movie she had been looking for and took her to his room where he first drugged her and then raped.

This is not the first time AISA member involved in such shameful incident; they have a rotten history of numerous crimes against women. While AISA, which is student’s wing of Communist Party of India (Marxit-Leninist), claims to be the only fighter of gender justice and women
empowerment, record shows the opposite. The attempts to put the case under carpet after the victim approached the police also raise fingers towards the Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) that is allegedly giving a helping hand to these monsters on the ideological grounds.
The allegations of gender atrocities against the naxalite mindset are not new. In a report of a leading portal in 2013, Shobha Mandi, a former woman cadre of the Maoist group, in her book ‘Ek Maowadi Ki Diary’ called the naxalism movement a den of vice where rape, wife-swapping and violence against women, are the norm rather than the exception. In her book, she revealed that she was repeatedly raped and assaulted by her fellow comrades for over seven years. According to her, most women recruits are exploited by senior Maoists. If a member gets pregnant, she has no choice but to abort”.
“Every woman is seen as an object which would satisfy the lust of all male cadres. The movement had lured me in 2003 by making me believe that men and women would be equal in the new order it strives to create. But what I experienced over there was horrifying, worse than the oppression that the women of rural India face,” she writes.
Actually the problem lies in the ideology of violent revolution. They basically believe in divisive approach and violence as remedy, so it applies to gender base oppression. As they discard the Bharatiya perspective of respectful and complimentary relationship, the question of equal space is not there. Recently, Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, a known filmmaker belonging to Left intelligentsia tweeted after PV Sindhu won a medal in Rio Olympics: “What is so huge to celebrate here? Why are people celebrating so much? What if I spit on her. (The original Tweet is in Malayalam)
This is not the first time when Left leaning have publicly abused women. This all expose the hypocrisy of Leftist ideology. Where are the ‘Karats and Kavitas’ of Left wing who are always vocal about women empowerment and crime against women but choose to remain silent when a girl is abused and raped by their fraternity is the cry in social media.
Dr Nikunj Makwana, MPH/PhD Student, School of Social Sciences, JNU says, “The incidents of rape committed by a Leftist leader are not new in JNU. The thing which shakes us every time is the fact that it is the Leftist people who are most vocal on women issues, and organise a number of seminars to discuss feminism. They accuse other ideologies for not being sensitive towards gender issues. But unfortunately, most of the rape
incidents in JNU involved the Leftist culprits. The irony dies thousand deaths after seeing that it is the ‘Bhakshak’ who is claiming to be the ‘Rakshak’.  Anmol Ratan is being defended by the very same Left
activitists who claim to fight against patriarchy of Hinduism (but not utter a word on Burqa & Triple Talaq)”.
Impartial GSCASH?
GSCASH (Gender Sensitization Committee against Sexual Harassment) has started functioning in JNU since October 2001. It is alleged by the students and also some faculty that most of the members of GSCASH are sympathisers of the Left ideology. According to a member of GSCASH (on the condition of anonymity), numbers of cases of molestation, assault and crime against women registered against AISA activists every year, because of their fathers (read sympathisers) they get saved. Even in the recent rape case, it is alleged by the victim that Anmol threatened her and said be ready for the consequences if she will take action against him. He has a political back-up and will be saved.  
Anima Sonkar, a student of M Phil, School of International Studies, JNU says, “I have been here in campus for last 4 years. I found GSCASH incompetent and totally Left dominated. I as a woman student see it as a committee made to seal and protect the Left ideologue sexual harasser where most of the members belong to Left ideologue”.
“The notable thing in this case is the girl who was raped directly goes to Vasant Kunj police station instead of GSCASH. It shows how GSCASH lost its credibility”, she added.
The silence of communist parties over the incident and the allegations of tacit support have again exposed the mindset of revolutionaries towards women and women related issues.