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#Conclave16: If I'm irresponsible, so is Rajnath Singh, says Kanhaiya

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DailyBiteMar 18, 2016 | 20:55

#Conclave16: If I'm irresponsible, so is Rajnath Singh, says Kanhaiya

It's rare for a session with an all-students-panel to have a short film to act as a prelude to the storm to follow. But Hansal Mehta's three-minute-long film on Rohith Vemula, Reach For The Stars, was exactly that - a perfect, heart-wrenching preface to the fiery exchange among the crème de la crème of Jawaharlal Nehru University, as well as Film and Television Institute of India.

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"Campus On Fire - Why Are Students So Angry?" brought together a string of student leaders, some household names by now, including  JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, JNUSU vice-president Shehla Rashid, Roji M John, president, NSUI; Saurabh Sharma, joint secretary JNUSU; Vikas Urs, secretary, students' association, FTII; Mahamedha Nagar, vice-president, Miranda House; and Saket Bahuguna, national media convener ABVP.

conclave16-kanhaiya-_031816085023.jpg
NUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, JNUSU vice-president Shehla Rashid, Roji M John, president, NSUI; Saurabh Sharma, joint secretary JNUSU; Vikas Urs, secretary, students' association, FTII; Mahamedha Nagar, vice-president, Miranda House; and Saket Bahuguna, national media convener ABVP. [Photo credit: Vikas Sharma/India Today]

Charting the various points and counter-points on nationalism, slogan-mongering, the politics of JNU, the idea of the university, Kashmir, AFSPA, difference between the left-wing and right-wing political strands, among others, this session saw heated debates on all the issues. Moderated by India Today's Rahul Knawal, this was easily one of the most looked forward to programmes in the Conclave 2016.

Here are some of the best quotes from the student leaders.

Kanhaiya Kumar, JNUSU president (AISF)

 "In the Constitution, there is no mention of the word - national. So, there is nothing like anti-national. Speaking about Kashmir is not anti-national."

"We are against hanging as a principal." - [On Azfal Guru event.]

"Anupam Kher is one of my favourite actors. JNU has always encouraged the culture of debate, hence he's giving a talk there today."

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"I am against controversial slogans raised by some at JNU. But they were outsiders."

"Sabko Siksha, Sabko Kaam, Warna Hogi Neend Haraam - is the best slogan that should be raised in India at the moment."

"If I am being accused of being irresponsible then Home Minister Rajnath Singh is also guilty of retweeting unverified facts."

"I wasn't aware what was going to happen on February 9."

"Atal Bihari Vajpayee was also a member of AISF."

"JNU is nothing like it is being represented by some people nowadays. JNU is the place where a poor man like me can study."

Saurabh Sharma (joint secretary JNUSU, ABVP)

"Kanhaiya Kumar raised anti-national slogans on February 9."

["People who talk about Constitution should allow the land of the land to work. So please take the 'evidence' and take the issue to the court." Kanhaiya Kumar responds to Saurabh Sharma.]

"Poverty has been there in India since ages, it has not suddenly gripped the nation in the last two years. This is an anti-Modi agitation."

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Saket Bahuguna (national media convener ABVP)

"Those who attacked Kanhaiya at Patiala House court were wrong, not nationalists enough."

"Stop misleading the country, stop spreading lies," Saket Bahuguna to Kanhaiya Kumar.

"Kanhaiya Kumar has got interim bail not bail, Kanhaiya should read the court's order."  

Shehla Rashid (JNUSU vice-president)

"We are very happy that Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya have got interim bail today."

"I come from a marginalised background but in JNU I don't face any discrimination."

"When the Dadri lynching happened, it pained. Things like ghar wapsi, love jehad pained me."

"JNU has a unique progressive admission policy which supports students like us who come from a marginalised background. I came to JNU and participated in electoral politics. I got elected. Electoral democracy is working in JNU."

"Slogans like Pakistan Jindabad never raised inside JNU campus."

"Politics decides our future, we decide our politics."

Mahamedha Nagar, ABVP

"Please don't play the victim card." [To Shehla Rashid]

"I will raise my voice even against the Modi government if its decisions are wrong."  

Vikas Urs, FTII

"The JNU controversy is like Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon."

Roji M John, president, NSUI

"Education in India is not only a tool for employment generation but it also nurtures social change."

Last updated: March 18, 2016 | 21:09
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