The Student Politics Question

A question that every Indian has been asking since the time India gained independence in 1947- what is the role of politics in India?Build or Destroy?Especially Student politics in India,which has come down to a scencario of political vendettas full of physical violence and dirty political games.
I live in a college where College politics is banned.We in NITC have resisted several attempts by external student party politics to enter NITC for so many years now,including the greatest and most feared Students Federation Of India (SFI),the KSU,etc..NITC has shouted anti-SFI/KSU slogans throughout its many odd years of existence, and we will continue to do so.We have seen what party politics has done to other colleges inside Kerala.I know personally.I live next to a typical example of such a college,though out of respect i will not mention its name.

In this particular college whose case I mentioned,anytime a student(or union) wants,he can get his clases cancelled.Classes are like a disposable commodity-go for it if you want,cancel it if you're not in the mood.Exams are even worse.

The bigger problems start when the cultural festivals start-every program held here is ended by an SFI-vs-KSU fight,which most definitely ends up in a few broken bones,a police charge,a few dozen registered cases,and ofcourse, the inevitable end result- a HARTAL.Let me define this cursed word to you.No college,no class,no study, nothing.Immobility.Helplessness.Silence,Submission and Inactivity.Thats what a Hartal is.A whole population goes immobile when a thing such as a hartal occurs.Nevertheless, it is a status symbol and a show of power for several political unions,and thus it does go unstopped all throughout Kerala every odd day nowadays.

Recently there was a close attempt by the local SFI unit in our area to penetrate into our college,and even attack some of us.The result was drastic.The whole college awoke like an angered monster,around 400-500 students out on the road,all tense and angry,most of us armed with sticks and stones,and ran back at them.The police had to interfere,otherwise there definitely might have been bloodshed.The night went by in a flurry of abuses and stone-throwing between angered NITC students and local SFI activists,with the police unfortunately caught in between.

Quoting a Hindu newspaper report :

"Classes at NITC are suspended owing to the attack on Administrative Block and breaking of drinking water supply pipes by SFI and DYFI activists on Monday night..disruption of water supply affected more than 2,000 students in 12 hostels..Hostels could not be closed down since 50 per cent of the students were from outside the State, officials said..Water was supplied to the college from a nearby river.."

Check out the Link http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/28/stories/2007032806340500.htm


I think the message given by NITC to the external student unions on this day is clear : "WE STUDENTS DO NOT NEED EXTERNAL STUDENT UNIONS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR NEEDS.. WE HAVE DONE SO BEAUTIFULLY FOR SO MANY YEARS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO..We have conducted over 30 Ragams and Tathva's and will conduct a 100 more,each one living up to its name of being the best until ony the next Ragam or Tathva,and WE DO NOT NEED THE SFI OR THE KSU TO TEACH US HOW TO DO SO..."

We have seen the potentials of so many colleges all over Kerala wasted away by years of student politics..wach one of them capable of being an NIT in themselves..each one capable of conducting their own Ragams and Tathvas..but divided and hampered between themselves only on the count of Student Politics..so when i see what Damage this has done to not only the academic standards and technical standards in Kerala,but the very honour and name of Kerala,I am forced to shout out loud..To Hell With Student Politics in Kerala..for its own good..