Dissent Is Not Sedition
By Rayees Rasool
17 February, 2016
Countercurrents.org
From Indian educational institutions to Indian Courts – Justice has been buried, voices choked, humans lynched, students called terrorists and then they called it NATION.
India Proudly says that it is a country of different civilizations, religions, communities etc. But with present regime who are behaving as cruel dictators are providing a different image of this country. They don’t let any stone unturned to show the ultra national fascist face of government even if it will take anyone’s life. They will ask you what to eat, what to say, whom to love, what to read and how to live.
This alleged democracy fears from a small group of unarmed students. Students who were trying to express their solidarity with a person who became the victim of political vendetta, and was hanged to satisfy the collective consciousness of unconscious fascist forces. Those young men and women expressed the solidarity with the people of Kashmir who are living under the military occupation since this country got freedom. Abraham Lincoln putted it like this “Those who deny freedom to other deserve it not for themselves”.
The whole drama regarding the event of JNU on 9th Feb 2016 organized by few students is not new. But what’s new is in today’s time is interference by the state.
If we see the word University it denotes universe. Universe, were all living beings live together despite having different ideologies and political aspirations. If you believe in your democratic set up then you ought to be tolerant towards the people. Democracy doesn’t mean to carry white piece of paper and name it as unique identification card for all. Democracy is not forcing people to vote for a person who is un-liked by the majority. Democracy means respect dissent.
No matter who organized the event in JNU or who gave the slogans, what maters is why those slogans were raised. Why hundreds of young men and women shouted and demanded for the freedom of Kashmir. Why those hundreds of students shouted in favor of Afzal Guru and MaqboolBhat.
This is the time for introspection for government of India, why after 65 years still kashmiris are not happy with the country who rule them. If they are really worried about the incident they should mend the ways and see what went wrong. Kashmir is the highest military zone in the world, when govt. confirms there are less than 200-armed rebels operating in Kashmir. Why whole population is under siege.
By using force and booking students under serious crimes wont help. The more force you use the more rebels you will create.
This whole problem is the creation of mainstream corporate Indian Media houses. Every night in these news rooms they are shouting on their highest and give certificates to the people for being nationalists and anti Nationals. Every Night they decide who should live were. Every night in media trials they declare students, activists, democratic organization, human rights groups as terror groups. This jingoistic approach by Indian Media will lead them towards the destruction.
Media is supposed to inform people. But in India, the job of media is to misinform and divert attention from important issues and changes decided by the political and economic elites.
Noam Chomsky identified 10 strategies of media to manipulate and contain.
1) The strategy of destruction.
2) Create problems, and then offer solutions.
3) The gradual strategy, acceptance to an unacceptable.
4) The strategy of deferring.
5) Go to a public as a little child.
6) Use the emotional side more than the reflection.
7) Keep the public in ignorance and mediocrity.
8) To encourage public to be complacent with mediocrity.
9) Self-blame strengthen.
10) Getting to know the individuals better then they know themselves.
This is how with the help of corporate media helps system to exert greater control and power over people.
Dissent does not mean sedition. In current JNU row the whole drama is revolving around fascist forces, media trials, government and police. They all complement each other to choke the voices.
Now at the end let me point out few positive points from incidents like JNU, RohithVemula, FTII or protest over Non-Net fellowships. The student community came forward united. All big revolutions start like this.
The youth of India have realized the cost of dissent and providing space for different ideologies. They will stand against every injustice be it RohithVemula, Afzal Guru or illegal arrest of Kanya Kumar. They will speak and speak loudly. Having a say allowing people to debate on different political and social issues is not a crime. You may agree to disagree but you are not a criminal. Because Dissent is not Sedition.
Rayees Rasool is a Socio Political activist and writer