Universities under attack: Kanhaiya Kumar

Describing universities as centres to promote "criticial thinking", JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar today alleged that the educational institutions are under attack. "There is an allegation that we are doing politics. Are we doing politics or is the government is doing politics? (It) has a pre-planned script to destroy autonomy of universities. The precise work of universities, intellectuals is to promote critical thinking," he told reporters at a press conference here. Kumar is on a two-day visit to Hyderabad and Vijaywada, his first visit after coming out of jail on facing sedition charges. The struggle in JNU is an extension of the campaign in Hyderabad Central University for justice to Rohit Vemula. There is a similalrity between HCU and JNU in the context of attack on autonomy of universtities and fight of social justice, he said. Citing examples of FTII, Aligarh Universtity and HCU and JNU he claimed that the campuses are becoming war zones. The development agenda of NDA government has taken a back seat during the last two years of its rule, he alleged. Replying to a query, he said he would not campaign in the election in five states. Last evening, Kumar was not allowed to enter the HCU campus where he was scheduled to address students agitating over the suicide of the Dalit scholar in January this year. Kumar, who came with Rohith's mother and brother to express solidarity with the students, was greeted with slogans for and against him at the gate after the University issued a notification banning entry of outsiders including political parties, media and other social/student groups besides police keeping a strict security at the main gate preventing non-students from entering. After landing in the city yesterday, the student leader had blamed the government for blowing up the issue at JNU (of 'anti-national' slogans) only to divert attention from Rohith's suicide and its aftermath.