MUZZLING THE DISSENT !
The five reminders to Hyderabad University leading to Rohith Vemula's suicide and the booking of JNU students' union president Kanhaiya on sedition charges show New Delhi's extraordinary involvement in local-level contestations of ideas. In each case, from FTII, Pune, to the Ambedkar-Periyar study circle, there has been gross muzzling of dissent. Gujarat's Hardik Patel too felt the uncomfortable claw of sedition charges when he seemed to shake and challenge the state BJP dispensation. This small-mindedness has seeped into high policy as well. One of the Centre's stated reasons for dismissing the Arunachal government was the sacrifice of a cow in front of the BJP- appointed Governor's mansion. It is almost as if Narendra Modi and his associates are in a tearing hurry to make the entire country observe standardised norms for dressing, eating and exhibiting partisanship.
The five reminders to Hyderabad University leading to Rohith Vemula's suicide and the booking of JNU students' union president Kanhaiya on sedition charges show New Delhi's extraordinary involvement in local-level contestations of ideas. In each case, from FTII, Pune, to the Ambedkar-Periyar study circle, there has been gross muzzling of dissent. Gujarat's Hardik Patel too felt the uncomfortable claw of sedition charges when he seemed to shake and challenge the state BJP dispensation. This small-mindedness has seeped into high policy as well. One of the Centre's stated reasons for dismissing the Arunachal government was the sacrifice of a cow in front of the BJP- appointed Governor's mansion. It is almost as if Narendra Modi and his associates are in a tearing hurry to make the entire country observe standardised norms for dressing, eating and exhibiting partisanship.
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