The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi first attained notoriety in the eyes of the nation after reports emerged about how anti-national slogans were raised by leftists students in an event commemorating the hanging of terrorist Afzal Guru.
Soon after that, a narrative was built by the liberals, decrying the police action against the anti-national sloganeering by using phrases like, “Government is taking away the right to disagree”, “This is attack on free speech”, “Innocents students are being targeted”.
On the face of it, such a narrative meant that the dissenting leftists of JNU have the highest regard for freedom of expression and would readily welcome any ideas and thoughts which are contrary to their ‘ideals’.
This naive assertion was soon punctured after it was reported how leftists students had forced the JNU administration to cancel an invite to Arvind Gupta, who led Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s and BJP’s digital campaign in 2014 simply because of his BJP connection.
Intolerance was on display again after some JNU students didn’t even allow their own professors to enter the offices while protesting against UGC rules, and the disappearance of fellow student Najeeb Ahmed.
Now the university is making news for the wrong reasons again, after claims have emerged about the cancellation of senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s talk on, “Why Ram Mandir in Ayodhya”:
Cancelled : Dr Subramanian @Swamy39 talk at JNU tonight “Why Ram Mandir in Ayodhya?” Has been cancelled by JNU administration !! pic.twitter.com/QNkXTREmDV
— Jagdish Shetty (@jagdishshetty) December 6, 2017
Jagdish Shetty, a close aid of Dr. Swamy attached a letter with his tweet, written under the letterhead of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Koyna Hostel. This letter stated that the competent authority has decided that no talks would take place in the hostel on 6th December. As a result of which Dr. Swamy’s talk has been cancelled:
The letter in question has been signed by the Senior warden of the Koyna hostel and a copy of it has been sent to the Dean.
Subramanian Swamy has been a vocal supporter of Ram Mandir’s construction in Ayodhya, and it might be safe to assume that this talk too would have reflected this view of his.
Such a cancellation meant that people quickly took to twitter and reacted:
Where are the FoE warriors now? Why don’t “liberals” protest for @Swamy39‘s right to speak? https://t.co/1Q5GgfmdHG
— Anuraag Saxena (@anuraag_saxena) December 6, 2017
It’s but natural. #JNU can only have talks on How to wrk on #BharatKeTukde & #BharatKibarbaadi.Its a den for #Antinationals. https://t.co/clHziWzTkZ
— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) December 6, 2017
So much for freedom of speech and tolerance…….Talk Of Dr Subramanian @Swamy39 at JNU tonight Wed 6th Dec 2017 at 9:30 pm “Why Ram Mandir in Ayodhya ?”* has been cancelled as the organisers have been informed by JNU ! @jagdishshetty @vhsindia @NATRAJSHETTY @MaheshJoshi_MJ pic.twitter.com/4SWEEOX92P
— nikunj shah ?? (@niku1630) December 6, 2017
With JNU’s record of fighting for ‘freedom of expression’ even for anti-India sloganeering, this event being cancelled does seem extremely odd and duplicitous.
