Anti-nationalism or dissent?
Instead of questioning the intentions and motives of the students who shouted anti-India slogans, Shoaib Daniyal is actually trying to defend them in an act of the most severe form of extremism and intolerance (“Freedom of speech at JNU: Is there really any difference between sedition and blasphemy?”). I would like to ask the writer, who supposedly champions the secular and liberal cause in his articles about growing intolerance in India and never misses to criticise the ruling government on each and every issue, why this double standard and why is he stooping so low in his journalism by trying to defend the traitors of the nation.
The so-called liberal writer said “that it is troubling for the admittedly small number of people who hold dear free speech and liberalism”. He should realise that what he thinks is free speech and liberalism of a few is considered treachery and anti- national by the majority of the Indian people. – Samarth
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This was the danger when this dispensation came to power (“’Stop the witch-hunt’: Universities across the country speak out for JNU”). Thankfully, before this government can effect any change in the education system, their real identity as brutal oppressors of dissent has been revealed. They cannot tolerate any voice against them because they believe they are divine forces. They do not have patience to listen, debate and convert others; they just want to push their way through by using force.
Congress, despite all its faults, never tried to muzzle voices except during the Emergency. The current situation has become an undeclared Emergency. You open your mouth against this government and either you are bombarded with abuses or are trolled as anti-national. Those who raised anti-India slogans can be booked, but to brand every student as anti-national and institutions as breeders of anti-national elements smacks of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s high-handedness.
If this trend continues, the BJP will pay a very heavy price. Irrespective of its credentials for its development work, we Indians love our freedom of speech and if that is crushed into submission by anybody by any force, the perpetrators will have to face the music. – Vishal Jindal
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The students and their political backbones are confused (“The students at the JNU meet on Afzal Guru weren’t carrying guns ‒ they only carried ideas”). Do they have any data to suggest that media reporting is not the view of the average citizen of India? Or do the warring students think that the average Indian citizen is an idiot because he doesn’t have a platform to speak other than the media?
The so-called intellectuals and students appear so arrogant and repulsive when they usurp all rights of the common man to think or express. – Rakesh Saran
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The university that does not open the minds of its students is unfit to be a university (“The problem with JNU: Too left for liberals, too liberal for leftists”). The purpose of a university is to provide open access and not ingrained extremist ideas. It’s up to the students to decide which ideas to imbibe and expand upon. – Vasu C Murthy
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Why do you call anti-national activities dissent and defend the right to it at Jawaharlal Nehru University? Look at the idiotic statements by Rahul Gandhi and their ilk that the protesters only expressed some pain. – Vinit
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After reading this article, I couldn’t stop myself from saying that you are really doing a very bad job.
For an incident defaming India, you have made it look as if supporting anti-India forces is part of the JNU curriculum and should not be interfered with.
You have also put this incident in same category as 2012 Delhi gang-rape protest. Please become a responsible a news outlet. At least I can hope for unity for our country from all the news providers.
Students are defending this incident as dissent. What dissent? Is shouting pro-Pakistan slogans mere dissent? Is shouting pro-terrorists slogan a mere dissent?
We have to rise above politics, rise above caste and rise above religion for our country, India. I had faith that a good news source has come up that will serve India. But here I am left wronged. You are in the same category of people who don’t care about India.
Please start supporting India above anything. It is not a big ask. Become Indian. Using .in can fool a normal reader, but like me one day, he will realise your true intentions.
If you can justify anti-India activities, I am sure you can tolerate this mail. – Raul Vin
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I do not completely agree with this article (“No, the slogans of the JNU students don’t count as sedition under the law”). The case is still under investigation and charges of sedition may be changed to some appropriate charges.
Also, using words such as “judicial killing of condemned terrorists” is tantamount to undermining the sanctity of Supreme Court as the supreme judicial authority.
In addition, the case law citations are 30 years old and those circumstances might not be justified in the present day scenario of terrorism, which now uses the Internet to spread its ideology. – Ajoy
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I’m honestly shocked and appalled at mainstream media coverage of this incident, where the students are labelled anti-nationals (“JNU row: Students, journalists thrashed at Delhi court”). Worse still, a majority of people are agreeing with that sentiment. I think silencing such criticism has no place in a democracy, and the violence at the Patiala House court is tantamount to terrorism. Thank you for being bold enough to cover the truth, and to stand your ground while doing so, despite of the vitriol you will undoubtedly face as a result. As they say, the pen is mightier than the sword. – Arun
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As an observer, I can clearly see that the only people spreading sectarian hatred are those of your ilk, who unabashedly accuse specific communities of spreading hatred while you do exactly what you accuse them of doing (“JNU is no ‘citadel of divisiveness’ – that label suits the RSS better”).
You are the problem in this country. Not any specific community.
Individual aberrations have occurred across all communities. Even so, India is a model of communal tolerance and acceptance. Go and live among real people among ordinary communities across the country. And no amount of pointed criticism and rabble-rousing with an aim to feather one’s own nest is going to change that. I hope that India will come out ahead. – Vinoy Sivaraman
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You talk about ABVP and fail to mention the slogans chanted at the JNU premises (“Why the Centre and the ABVP must take classes on citizenship and democracy”). I want to understand from you – a common citizen with common sense) – some things which were not mentioned in your article.
1. How do you read slogans such as “Kitne Afjal maroge ghar ghar se Afjal niklega”?
2. How do you read slogans such as “India go back”?
3. How do you read slogans such as "India ko barbaad kar denge”?
ABVP coming into picture is a secondary outcome of such slogans. Why will the police not interfere when people speak against India? When something is illegal, should the court decide or JNU decide?
And according to you, who is maligning the name and fame of JNU – ABVP, or these protesters who openly admire Afzal Guru and talk against India on the JNU presmises? I think what the students are doing is shameful and they are merely using JNU as shield. – Daksh Bajaj