"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest." - Elie Wiesel
We are students. We are out on the streets, with our placards, slogans, and an indomitable will to protect our idea of India, even in the face of unimaginable khaki clad barbarity. We are (sometimes shamelessly) asserting ourselves at our dinner tables, against that jeering right-wing uncle.We are creatively curating our social media to #rejectCAA/NRC.And we are finally taking back the role that has historically been ours-steering the political wave of the nation.
With the passing of an anti-Constitutional law, and surfacing of soul-stirring visuals of disproportionate police clampdown on agitating (as well as non agitating) students, people have been pushed so much over the edge that suddenly the JNU waalas, our beloved “tukde tukde gang”, are no more the only illustration of student activism in India (though we think they will remain the poster boy overall).It is elating to see how students across universities and across regions have come together in electrifying solidarity to stand up against the government that unrepentantly divides, wantonly terrifies, and as anyone can now see, also blatantly lies.Yes, given the total number of universities in India, there could still be more universities and more regions expressing their support to the movement, but then if we look at the context of the immediate apolitical past of many participating students, and the stubborn mum that our society maintained over earlier whimsical acts of our government, this movement is widespread, and it is powerful.So yes, motabhai, you cannot dismiss the resistance of us “bacha log” as something scattered or isolated.You are giving us hell, but we have the capacity to give you hell back.
Our point is, that while it is definitely an unimaginably harrowing time for people who have directly borne the brunt of scarring state violence, and reading reports of the same, along with arbitrary impositions of section 144 and internet blackouts, are scary and distressing events for all of us, this dark phase is still a much better situation than the previous deafening silence of political apathy.
It is extremely crucial, therefore, that this new found political consciousness, this groundswell of youth movement, sustains. For the fight that we are fighting is going to be a long fight, and anyway a politically conscious society is the heartbeat of any democracy While maintaining anything at a high pitch is not always possible, we hope that all those who have been heralded into an era of reactive awareness at least do not fall back to priding political ignorance.We hope that being politically aware remains the new cool, and we hope that students continue to find the strength to call out the acts of the government that do not sit well with their conscience, whether they be in the area of economy, society or polity. For the youth community is not just a bank for leaders of some distant tomorrow, they are, and have to be, the leaders of today also. It is the trajectory that our present takes that will determine our future, after all.
So to all students who are going, or have gone to the protests, more power to you. We wish you safety and success. The supporters who are unable to make it to the protests because of reasons relating to health, issues regarding family permissions, or any other genuine commitments whatsoever, you also play an important role.One need not be on the streets to articulate to and educate their own social circle about the cause we believe in. In fact, we are the only ones who can do that; our classmate protesting in the streets or the columnist of the Hindu is unlikely to hold much sway over the ‘bhakts’ or apolitical people who happen to be our families and friends. Only our sustained debates with them might convince them to look at the situation from the other side. Here we have to make sure that we have built up arguments that cannot be easily taken down by taunts and ridicules. If each one of us individually engages like this with even just our own parents, it has the potential to leave a big dent on the support base of a government that takes it for granted. So protesting within four walls is just as important as protesting without, because much like charity, ideological persuasion also begins at home. We know that many of us are already doing it, but if you are someone who is venturing into this for the first time, keep in mind that it is going to be tough; first recognising just exactly how full of hate your loved ones might actually be, and then calling them out for that, and managing the possible resulting bitterness.Stay strong.
And to anyone carrying on the fight in whatever other capacity is possible for them, we support you.You are not alone.
We would like to conclude this short piece by quoting our favourite tweet of our honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi- “I want this Government to be criticised. Criticism makes democracy strong.”
Yup, we are just going to leave it at that.
Read also:
Students movements that created History
Pro Democracy movements lead by students in Hongkong
A sea of student protesters gathers in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, on May 4, 1989.Peter Turnley/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images
Students against apartheid in South Africa
Protests against the war in Vietnam and Cambodia took place throughout the at University of Florida
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