- Subash Gatade
The Pandal was ready.
The Sainiks with their saffron bandanas - who were scattered here and there - were
eagerly waiting to listen to another fiery call from their Senapati.
Time was already running out but the 'Star Speaker'
was nowhere to be seen.
Little did they knew that their Senapati had
already made an about turn and was headed back home as the district
administration had 'advised' him against entering the district and was told
that he would face 'legal action if he dares to do so.'
For Yogi Adityanath, the firebrand MP of BJP, who is
widely known for his controversial statements as well as acts and who every other day asks dissenters
to 'go to Pakistan' , it was his comeuppance moment when he was rather forced
to 'go back' to Gorakhpur. And all his plans to be the star speaker at the
inaugural function of Students Union of Allahabad University - once called
'Oxford of the East' - lay shattered.
The Saffron Parivar had made elaborate
preparations for Yogi's welcome to the city taking advantage of the fact that
its student wing - namely Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad - had
bagged four seats in the elections held for the Student Union. Excepting the
President, rest of the posts had gone to their candidates and they felt that
for them it was a golden opportunity to generate conversation around their
politics which would further polarise the people in this part of Eastern Uttar
Pradesh. Perhaps then they could raise their off repeated slogan at a higher
pitch 'Purvanchal Me Rehna Hoga, To Yogi-Yogi Kehna Hoga' ( If you want
to live in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, You will have to say Yogi-Yogi)
The only 'hindrance' to their well thought out plan
was the President of the Union - a student leader named Richa Singh, the first
female President in the 128 year old history of the University - who had won on
an independent platform duly supported by various left and democratic forces.
The university rules mandated that without the consent of the President no such
inauguration of the students union can take place and she resisted their
proposal to invite Yogi.
In an interview to Indian Express
(http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/ausu-president-says-wont-let-adityanath-enter-allahabad-university-campus/)
she made her stand clear :
“Yogi Adiyanath is a controversial leader who
speaks on communal lines against Muslims. Here we have Muslim students too in
the university. If any riot-like situation occurred after his speech on the
campus, who will be responsible? ABVP members invited Adityanath without
consulting me and that is against the AUSU (Allahabad University Students
Union) constitution,” She said any educationist or Union minister was supposed
to be invited to the event as “Adityanath has no contribution in the field of
education”.
Her simple proposal - 'An Appeal to Students' -
which received wide publicity made a point that instead of inviting a
'controversial' person like Yogi which would vitiate the atmosphere further and
would impact the composite heitage of the region in negative ways and would
further push back struggles for student rights it is better to invite someone -
like President of India, Chief Justice, renowned educationist, scientist or
literary figure - who would inspire the whole student community.
As expected the rest of the office bearers of the
Union did not agree to it and with due help from a compliant University
administration (see the postscript for further details)- which is running
without a proper vice chancellor for some time - managed to get an official
declaration that Yogi Adityanath would come to inaugurate the Students Union on
20 th November. Infuriated by this unilateral decision of the University
administration - which clearly violated the Constitution of the Institution - a
campaign was launched in the university and the city to stop Yogi from reaching
Allahabad and inaugurate the Union. It was interesting that it received support
from different sections of society, not only rest of the political parties -
except offcourse BJP - issued statements and came out in support but lawyers,
teachers, trade unions and other sections of the civil society also came
forward to oppose this invite.
Looking at the fact that the university
administration was adamant about its unilateral decision, Richa alongwith her
other comrades launched an indefinite hunger strike in University campus. Hundreds
of students and like minded teachers joined the Dharna (sit in) and
raised voice of solidarity. In a preplanned move the sit-in came under attack
in the night of 18 th November where saffron goons allegedly led by one of the
office bearers attacked them, Richa and other comrades were badly thrashed,
vulgar slogans were raised against the girl students and the attackers even did
not spare some senior teachers and civil society activists like Padma Singh who
had joined the sit-in. The most disturbing part of the whole episode was that
the police remained a mute spectator of this attack.
This attack raised such a furore that the district
administration decided to bar Yogi from entering the city and sent him the
order 'requesting' him to comply with the decision. As expected the members of
the Saffron Parivar tried to raise lot of hue and cry over this decision
but they could not do anything about it.
Yogi Adityanath, the 'Lion of Purvanchal' - in the
eyes of the Saffron Parivar - stood tamed, at least for the moment.
The Programme stood cancelled.
The Pandal was removed.
Spirited resistance by students once again
demonstrated the oft repeated slogan ' Students United Shall Always Be
Victorious'
Post Script :
As we write these lines news has come in that
the district administration has written a strong letter to Ms Smriti Irani,
Minister for Human Resources Development protesting the 'callous attitude of
the University administration which had created a law and order situation in
the city.' In his strongly worded letter the District Majistrate said that
'despite strong voices of opposition raised by students, teachers and other
members of the civil society the Univesity administration gave permission for
the said programme and did not even bother to contact the district
administration when situation seemed to be going out of control' He has asked
for 'exemplary action against the University officials' ( Ref : 'Hindustan' 21
st November 2015, Allahabad Edition)
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