India’s ‘thought-free’ universities and the danger of the ripples from a single dissenting pebble

Last Friday, my friend Naseeruddin Haider Khan from Lucknow sent a video with a message: “These people are in the police station.” I opened the video. I immediately knew where it had been shot. It was the plaza near the gate of the Arts Faculty of Delhi University, where I teach.

A woman was speaking. I later realised she was Richa Singh of the Sangtin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, a farm workers’ collective in Uttar Pradesh. Instantly recognisable was the lean economist Jean Dreze, standing by shyly. They had come to participate in a dharna at Jantar Mantar against the dilution of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. As part of their campaign to make more people aware of the issue, they had come to speak to people at Delhi University.

There were only 15-20 people in the crowd. Some were standing, some sitting. I watched the video with apprehension. As Richa Singh spoke, the camera panned to show policemen standing nearby. They outnumbered the participants at the meeting.

Prof Jean Dreze, Richa Singh from Sangatin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, UP and Com. Somnath from Haryana speaking to students about NREGA and the fight to ensure people's Right to Work at Arts Faculty, DU. @NREGA_Sangharsh #SaveNREGA pic.twitter.com/aOk0dwQq10— Road Scholarz (@roadscholarz)...

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