PaRCha - JNU - All Organisations - 2006 ID-44838
.
Fnends .
Elect1ons to the JNUSU are f..nown to be contested on both nat1onal and campus 1ssues That a rich climate of Intellectual debate has preva1led m the campus 1s pnmarily due to the presence of the ABVP for we are the only orgamzat1on 1n JNU whrch can JUStly lay a cla1m of hav1ng an alternat1ve vis1on for the nat1on and the soc1ety All other orgamzahons are tined up to appropnate the dommant Nehruvian agenda wh1ch draws rntellectual nourishment from a set of values originating from the modern European mtellectual trad1tion grounded in the 18'h century Enlightenment What the other organizations debate among themselves is not this central agenda but their relative abilities of pushmg it forward. We contest this agenda itself and suggest an alternative political, soc1al. economic and cultural model based on a deep study, definition and redefinition of our indigenous mtellectualtradltion. In other words, we stand for decolonization in all spheres of national activity wrth acceptance of only those forergn values wh1ch can further enrich our indigenous cultural .
core. .
The ABVP IS a nationalist student organization which stands for cultural nationalism. Even 1f the nation itself is a modern phenomenon -as is cla1med by theorists of nationalism and nation-states the world over-it does derive popular legitimacy from the past Th1s leg1t1macy IS based on notions of past cultural continuity, and shared histoncal memories and expenences. India be1ng no exception to th1s, we reject the notion that Indian nat10nahsm was a product merely of the opposition to colonial rule, and that the 'rmpact-response' model convincingly explains the 'imrtatlon' by a colonized. 'child people' of the pohtical mstitutions of the colonial masters. Our nat1onahsm 1s entirely indigenous to us, and rs based on a celebrat1on of the cultural linkages -as also the harmonization of differences through historical processes of collectivization -that can be traced back to the times of the Vedic culture, the ep1c tradrhon. the egalitarian Bhakti Movement, etc. In more recent times, these processes of national collectivization have been carried forward by the contnbutions of men like Gandh1 and V1vekanand, and organizations like the Arya Samaj and the RSS. .
The commitment towards the celebration of our national culture would be rendered meaningless if we were to fail to make a significant contribution to the decolonization of our education system. Our education system is still based on the colonial model, and can be seen as a direct off-shoot of the colonial state's policy to educate a handful of Indians in western thought, literature etc., wrth English as the med1um of instruction. The aim of th1s venture was clearly hegemonic . having established pohttcal control over lnd1a. the colonizers were now seekmg to perpetuate the RaJ through moral, soc1al and cultural control; through a projection of notions of 'Bnt1sh superiority' which were bemg sought to be established by the deculturrzation of Indians through the rnst1tuhonaliza!lon of allen modes and forms of knowledge The knowledge system thus 1mposed had an epistemological basis in the 'Enlightenment' d1scourse -the .dominant intellectu~l tradition m Europe at that time The categones constructed by thrs European intellectual tradrl1on -such as ·~rogress', 'ratio.nahty', 'scientrficity', ·secularism' etc. -made the1r way mto lndta and have unfortunately become uncontested 'truths' for us. An alternative, rndigenous system of knowledge can be structured only through a question1ng of .these .categones . a~d the construot1on of alternative categones, wh1ch have 1nd1genous roots, wh1ch are an outcome of a comprehensive and critcal study .
of our own schools of thought and cultural values The ABVP .
stands f1rmly in favour of any such venture aimed at the .
md1genization of our education system .
Related to the question of education 1s the issue of rewriting history. The initiative of the NOA government to rewnte h1story textbooks came in for severe critic1sm at the hands of the left They argued that history was be1ng sought to be 'saffron1zed' and 'distorted' by the Vajpayee government. So far as the 'saffronization' issue goes. the intellectually colonized cannot appreciate the indigenization of education and are constrained to give negative connotations to it. Where 'distortion' is concerned ~ny serious scholar of social sciences can understand that h1sto,Y 1s not a body of factual information but a discipline based on contesting approaches to past questions. Any interpretation based on sources and coherently argued can constitute a legitimate approach to the past. But so far as textbooks are concerned, care should be taken not to make them an mstrument for the propagation of a particular ideology. least of all an ideology that has no popular support in the country! The earlier NCERT textbooks played precisely this role . they selectively concealed and overemphasized facts calculated to further the political cause of the Communists and the Congress, to the total detriment of the Hindutva ideology. That is why the Modern India Textbook of Bipan Chandra, which is otherwise obsessed with 'communalism'. conveniently omits the important historical evidence regarding support for the Pakistan Movement by the CPI -the mother organization of the CPl. the CPI(M) and the CPI(ML). .
The ABVP expresses serious concern over the threat of fundamentalism of all hues -religiOlS and 'secular' -which seeks to reduce the complex of reality to a narrow. monolithic code of ethics and behaviour. It divides the whole material and spiritual world mto two watertight compartments -'truth' (which it alone possesses) and 'falsity'. While the Jehadi mmdset -which msists on restoring the 'purity' of Islam and IS ready to counter with violence any questioning of its model of a monolithic religion -has become a major source of world terrorism, Marxist terrorism, in Nepal and in several states of India, which is a direct off-shoot of the dogmatic ideas of Karl Marx and Engels, is another threat to world peace. While the Jehadi mindset can be countered both by state action and the encouragement of moderate Muslim opinion, the 'secular' Marxist terrorism can be countered only with an iron hand; for no moderate Marx1st opmion can exist In the world w1thout being branded 'Utopian' or even 'pro-impenahst' by its own dogmatic comrades. .
The explosive situation in Assam and Manipur shows the utter failure of the UPA government supported by the Communists in handling the Situation in the north-eastern stat~s of India. The BJP-Ied NDA government had engaged 1n constructive talks with many north-eastern groups through l~s interlocutor, Mr. Padmanabhiyah, and had signed a histone peace accord with the various factions of the Nagas. The ABVP stands for peaceful resolution of the problems concernmg the north-east through negotiations a1med at the satisfactiOn of all concerned groups. .
CAMPUS ISSUES .
The ABVP rejects the SF'I-AISF-AISA's politiCS of ntualistic pre-election hunger strikes which aim at misguiding the freshers. The issue of MCM ~nd its reported enhancement clearly exposes SFI-AISF-AISA led JNUSU nexus with Jt;'U-Admn. A paltry increase in the MCM (although 1t has not been Implemented .
so far) tnd1cates that the SFI-AISF-AI SA led JNUSU had a beforehand understanding w1th the JNU-Admn w1th an eye at the JNUSU elections. .
It 1s also very unfortunate to note that the Commun1sts have m their panels candidates who are known sexual harasser and do not have a moral standmg to seek mandate from the student community. PSU has already w1thdrawn 1ts panel from the JNUSU elections after 1t was exposed that 1ts v1ce Presidential cand1date had a case of sexual hasrassment pendmg against him, but SFI shamefully continues to retain its V1ce Presidential candidate who has serious charges of sexual harassment against him. .
During the course of the year 2000-2001, the ABVP led JNUSU fulfilled the long standing demand of a Railway Reservat1on Counter on the campus. ATM fac1hty in the SBI Extension Counter, purchase and installation of 140 computers to be used by students of each centre, purchase of 4000 books for the Central Library, startmg of a Students' Welfare Fund, resolution to a great extent of the hostel cns1s on the campus by exped1t1ng the buildmg and allotment of Mahi-Mandavi. and startmg or work on two more hostels in the campus, etc .
Our focus for the coming year will be on the follow1ng issues .
.
If we get a mandate from the students of JNU. we w1ll ensure declaration of the M.Phil. written examination and interview marks so that complete transparency in the academ1c process is ensured. .
.
.
Restructuring the syllabus m soc1al sc1ences so as to make the course content more reflective of our tnd1genous knowledge systems. .
.
.
Setting up of a Central Placement Cell for JNU so as to make educatiOn in JNU more job-oriented .
.
.
Timely release of scholarship money for students of all schools by exertmg pressure on the otherwise 1nsens11tve JNU Admtnistration. The need for transparency in instrument purchase IS an.
.
.
.
Important demand tn the Science Schools. The Panshad will take up this demand as a top pnonty The Science Schools are m dire need of more funds. for.
.
whrch we shall exert pressure on the government In case of .
government insensit1vrty, we can even 1nvolve the pnvate sector There IS an urgent need for the prov1sion of clean dnnking.
.
water at Ganga Ohaba -wh1ch we shall take up as an 1mportant pnority We demand that the JNU library be kept open round the.
.
dock and we shall take th1s up 1mmad1ately..
Ther~ IS need for better and shoner road connectivty of.
.
.
Chandrabhaga Hostel w1th central locations of the campus hke the Ad-Block. We shall exert pressure on the Administration for the same We w11l ensure proper fundmg of the libranes concerned with.
.
d1fferent centres so that the required books and JOurnals are made available on regular bas1s Unfettered internet access for all students mcluding Phys1cally.
.
Challenged students of the University, 1ncludmg BA & MA students entailing more tem11nals for each centre and hostels and increased hours of access. 1s a top priority for us .
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.
) .
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~ .
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.
~ .
a .
.
~ .
~ .
.
a .
.
--=-.
.
PaRCha - JNU - All Organisations - 2006 ID-44838
.
Fnends .
Elect1ons to the JNUSU are f..nown to be contested on both nat1onal and campus 1ssues That a rich climate of Intellectual debate has preva1led m the campus 1s pnmarily due to the presence of the ABVP for we are the only orgamzat1on 1n JNU whrch can JUStly lay a cla1m of hav1ng an alternat1ve vis1on for the nat1on and the soc1ety All other orgamzahons are tined up to appropnate the dommant Nehruvian agenda wh1ch draws rntellectual nourishment from a set of values originating from the modern European mtellectual trad1tion grounded in the 18'h century Enlightenment What the other organizations debate among themselves is not this central agenda but their relative abilities of pushmg it forward. We contest this agenda itself and suggest an alternative political, soc1al. economic and cultural model based on a deep study, definition and redefinition of our indigenous mtellectualtradltion. In other words, we stand for decolonization in all spheres of national activity wrth acceptance of only those forergn values wh1ch can further enrich our indigenous cultural .
core. .
The ABVP IS a nationalist student organization which stands for cultural nationalism. Even 1f the nation itself is a modern phenomenon -as is cla1med by theorists of nationalism and nation-states the world over-it does derive popular legitimacy from the past Th1s leg1t1macy IS based on notions of past cultural continuity, and shared histoncal memories and expenences. India be1ng no exception to th1s, we reject the notion that Indian nat10nahsm was a product merely of the opposition to colonial rule, and that the 'rmpact-response' model convincingly explains the 'imrtatlon' by a colonized. 'child people' of the pohtical mstitutions of the colonial masters. Our nat1onahsm 1s entirely indigenous to us, and rs based on a celebrat1on of the cultural linkages -as also the harmonization of differences through historical processes of collectivization -that can be traced back to the times of the Vedic culture, the ep1c tradrhon. the egalitarian Bhakti Movement, etc. In more recent times, these processes of national collectivization have been carried forward by the contnbutions of men like Gandh1 and V1vekanand, and organizations like the Arya Samaj and the RSS. .
The commitment towards the celebration of our national culture would be rendered meaningless if we were to fail to make a significant contribution to the decolonization of our education system. Our education system is still based on the colonial model, and can be seen as a direct off-shoot of the colonial state's policy to educate a handful of Indians in western thought, literature etc., wrth English as the med1um of instruction. The aim of th1s venture was clearly hegemonic . having established pohttcal control over lnd1a. the colonizers were now seekmg to perpetuate the RaJ through moral, soc1al and cultural control; through a projection of notions of 'Bnt1sh superiority' which were bemg sought to be established by the deculturrzation of Indians through the rnst1tuhonaliza!lon of allen modes and forms of knowledge The knowledge system thus 1mposed had an epistemological basis in the 'Enlightenment' d1scourse -the .dominant intellectu~l tradition m Europe at that time The categones constructed by thrs European intellectual tradrl1on -such as ·~rogress', 'ratio.nahty', 'scientrficity', ·secularism' etc. -made the1r way mto lndta and have unfortunately become uncontested 'truths' for us. An alternative, rndigenous system of knowledge can be structured only through a question1ng of .these .categones . a~d the construot1on of alternative categones, wh1ch have 1nd1genous roots, wh1ch are an outcome of a comprehensive and critcal study .
of our own schools of thought and cultural values The ABVP .
stands f1rmly in favour of any such venture aimed at the .
md1genization of our education system .
Related to the question of education 1s the issue of rewriting history. The initiative of the NOA government to rewnte h1story textbooks came in for severe critic1sm at the hands of the left They argued that history was be1ng sought to be 'saffron1zed' and 'distorted' by the Vajpayee government. So far as the 'saffronization' issue goes. the intellectually colonized cannot appreciate the indigenization of education and are constrained to give negative connotations to it. Where 'distortion' is concerned ~ny serious scholar of social sciences can understand that h1sto,Y 1s not a body of factual information but a discipline based on contesting approaches to past questions. Any interpretation based on sources and coherently argued can constitute a legitimate approach to the past. But so far as textbooks are concerned, care should be taken not to make them an mstrument for the propagation of a particular ideology. least of all an ideology that has no popular support in the country! The earlier NCERT textbooks played precisely this role . they selectively concealed and overemphasized facts calculated to further the political cause of the Communists and the Congress, to the total detriment of the Hindutva ideology. That is why the Modern India Textbook of Bipan Chandra, which is otherwise obsessed with 'communalism'. conveniently omits the important historical evidence regarding support for the Pakistan Movement by the CPI -the mother organization of the CPl. the CPI(M) and the CPI(ML). .
The ABVP expresses serious concern over the threat of fundamentalism of all hues -religiOlS and 'secular' -which seeks to reduce the complex of reality to a narrow. monolithic code of ethics and behaviour. It divides the whole material and spiritual world mto two watertight compartments -'truth' (which it alone possesses) and 'falsity'. While the Jehadi mmdset -which msists on restoring the 'purity' of Islam and IS ready to counter with violence any questioning of its model of a monolithic religion -has become a major source of world terrorism, Marxist terrorism, in Nepal and in several states of India, which is a direct off-shoot of the dogmatic ideas of Karl Marx and Engels, is another threat to world peace. While the Jehadi mindset can be countered both by state action and the encouragement of moderate Muslim opinion, the 'secular' Marxist terrorism can be countered only with an iron hand; for no moderate Marx1st opmion can exist In the world w1thout being branded 'Utopian' or even 'pro-impenahst' by its own dogmatic comrades. .
The explosive situation in Assam and Manipur shows the utter failure of the UPA government supported by the Communists in handling the Situation in the north-eastern stat~s of India. The BJP-Ied NDA government had engaged 1n constructive talks with many north-eastern groups through l~s interlocutor, Mr. Padmanabhiyah, and had signed a histone peace accord with the various factions of the Nagas. The ABVP stands for peaceful resolution of the problems concernmg the north-east through negotiations a1med at the satisfactiOn of all concerned groups. .
CAMPUS ISSUES .
The ABVP rejects the SF'I-AISF-AISA's politiCS of ntualistic pre-election hunger strikes which aim at misguiding the freshers. The issue of MCM ~nd its reported enhancement clearly exposes SFI-AISF-AISA led JNUSU nexus with Jt;'U-Admn. A paltry increase in the MCM (although 1t has not been Implemented .
so far) tnd1cates that the SFI-AISF-AI SA led JNUSU had a beforehand understanding w1th the JNU-Admn w1th an eye at the JNUSU elections. .
It 1s also very unfortunate to note that the Commun1sts have m their panels candidates who are known sexual harasser and do not have a moral standmg to seek mandate from the student community. PSU has already w1thdrawn 1ts panel from the JNUSU elections after 1t was exposed that 1ts v1ce Presidential cand1date had a case of sexual hasrassment pendmg against him, but SFI shamefully continues to retain its V1ce Presidential candidate who has serious charges of sexual harassment against him. .
During the course of the year 2000-2001, the ABVP led JNUSU fulfilled the long standing demand of a Railway Reservat1on Counter on the campus. ATM fac1hty in the SBI Extension Counter, purchase and installation of 140 computers to be used by students of each centre, purchase of 4000 books for the Central Library, startmg of a Students' Welfare Fund, resolution to a great extent of the hostel cns1s on the campus by exped1t1ng the buildmg and allotment of Mahi-Mandavi. and startmg or work on two more hostels in the campus, etc .
Our focus for the coming year will be on the follow1ng issues .
.
If we get a mandate from the students of JNU. we w1ll ensure declaration of the M.Phil. written examination and interview marks so that complete transparency in the academ1c process is ensured. .
.
.
Restructuring the syllabus m soc1al sc1ences so as to make the course content more reflective of our tnd1genous knowledge systems. .
.
.
Setting up of a Central Placement Cell for JNU so as to make educatiOn in JNU more job-oriented .
.
.
Timely release of scholarship money for students of all schools by exertmg pressure on the otherwise 1nsens11tve JNU Admtnistration. The need for transparency in instrument purchase IS an.
.
.
.
Important demand tn the Science Schools. The Panshad will take up this demand as a top pnonty The Science Schools are m dire need of more funds. for.
.
whrch we shall exert pressure on the government In case of .
government insensit1vrty, we can even 1nvolve the pnvate sector There IS an urgent need for the prov1sion of clean dnnking.
.
water at Ganga Ohaba -wh1ch we shall take up as an 1mportant pnority We demand that the JNU library be kept open round the.
.
dock and we shall take th1s up 1mmad1ately..
Ther~ IS need for better and shoner road connectivty of.
.
.
Chandrabhaga Hostel w1th central locations of the campus hke the Ad-Block. We shall exert pressure on the Administration for the same We w11l ensure proper fundmg of the libranes concerned with.
.
d1fferent centres so that the required books and JOurnals are made available on regular bas1s Unfettered internet access for all students mcluding Phys1cally.
.
Challenged students of the University, 1ncludmg BA & MA students entailing more tem11nals for each centre and hostels and increased hours of access. 1s a top priority for us .
~\ .
.
-.
.
I .
I .
.
) .
~ .
:l .
"' c:., .
~ .
g. .
.
~ .
a .
.
~ .
~ .
.
a .
.
--=-.
.