On the 15th day of their hunger strike against what is considered a cavalier attitude of the Union Education Ministry, the NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU) suspended their fast, with the rider that the demand for removal of the Vice Chancellor, PS Shukla would continue. At this point it is important to analyse the conduct and attitude of the NDA Government at the Centre towards the different issues plaguing the North Eastern States. The strike by the NEHU students should have been taken seriously by the Union Education Minister if he considers education to be a matter of importance and its disruption unwarranted because it would affect the future of students each day they remained out of the classroom than inside it.
This is the first time perhaps in the history of Meghalaya where concerned youth have taken the route of a peaceful protest against what they consider as a grave injustice in the manner of functioning of the Vice Chancellor. The NEHUSU must be appreciated for adopting this silent but powerful mode of protest. Considering that hunger strike (satyagraha) was first adopted by Mahatma Gandhi to protest British high-handedness and to force them to grant India its independence, it is ironic that this mode of protest should still be needed in a free and democratic India. Clearly the British are not the only imperialists. In 21st century India, the elected who form the government soon assume the role of modern autocrats who are deaf to the agonies of the “subjects.” This unequal relation between the rulers and the ruled continues in the present independent and democratic India. This is visible in how Manipur is dealt with by an apathetic Centre where killings are carrying on even today – 16 months after the first bout of violence. Instead of sending in more para-military forces, the most justified step would have been to impose President’s Rule and bring the situation under control.
Apart from the continued loss of lives in Manipur, the reality is that thousands of lives have been disrupted and children are experiencing this utter helplessness inside the refugee camps. But does anyone care? The NEHUSU have shown incredible maturity by adopting the moral high ground of enduring personal hardships to draw attention to their demands. The students have evoked empathy from a cross section of civil society who have come to check on their health statuses and appealed to them to suspend their hunger strike. Sadly this 15-day hunger strike has not made it to the national news because the upcoming election in Maharashtra is occupying prime space and the mind-space of the Prime Minister and his cabinet colleagues. Be that as it may, the act of a hunger strike carries a powerful symbolism. It demonstrates the depth of the protester’s conviction and the seriousness of the issue, potentially galvanising public opinion and support, which it did. Hopefully the students’ will continue to pursue the path of peaceful protest in the future too. Who knows when the tide will turn!
