MU: Abide by the wisdom of Senior citizens

Free Thinker *

Prof. Sadananda is a respected and very knowledgeable senior citizen and his approach to find an amicable peaceful settlement to the ‘MU catch 22 situation’ is quite logical and agreeable if all the stake holders are willing to compromise their stands in the larger interest of the students and the State.

Now a congenial resolution is the only way out; otherwise we will never come out from this quagmire. Prof. Jugindro is a distinguished academician who has a remarkable record in St. Stephens , Delhi University.

Prof. will do everything possible in the interest of the people and the State but he should not be made the scapegoat and dilute his dignity and honor. I strongly believe that he will take the lead and do the needful as suggested by Prof Sadananda. At the same time a peaceful platform for renegotiation, reconsideration and reconciliation must be arranged at the earliest by the Hon’ble CM who is the guardian of the State.

It is not the time to examine who is right and who is wrong? To me we all are wrong because we have failed the University. There is no doubt, Hon’ble Chief Minister and all stakeholders are genuinely eager to bring about a peaceful settlement to this issue.

Our Education Minister is running from pillar to post to find an amicable solution. I fully agree with Prof. Sadananda that fault-finding will not lead to a solution; rather it will only aggravate the situation; we need to move ahead; sit together face to face and pour our hearts out and come to a reasonable conclusion by consensus.

The President of India, our Governor, the HRD ministers, are equally worried about the on-going stalemate. We have lost more than hundred days of our academic activities in the Manipur University and its affiliated colleges and we all are unhappy about this.

It is not a matter of who did it? Now, it is a matter to be sorted out by all. The Pro VC, MUSU, MUTA, MUSA, all student bodies , civil society members, the Inquiry Committee, the Central and State Governments including the Courts ought to work fast in tandem in the larger interest of the University and its 60 thousand students.

In a civilized society the conflict/dissent resolution is made possible only through dialogue, discussion and discourse; there is no other alternative; conflict begets conflicts; today in advanced countries violence has become increasingly irrelevant; rebellion, rioting, retribution and retaliation have become increasingly unpopular as they bring only bloodshed and chaos.

Today the world thinkers stop thinking in terms of violence and arms struggle. Only some conservative leaders of under-developed regions still indulge in violence; but they are also changing in course of time. See the 21 years old Indo-Naga ongoing peace dialogue. Look at Scotland, Quebec, and now Catalonia.

Learn from Mahatma, Martin, and Mandela etc. Non-violence is the best option because it has a mass appeal and success rate is extremely high if we have the patience.

The students all over the world always remain right as long as they remain non- violent; even if they commit illegal acts the public opinion or the public sympathy is always with them. This is a very strange phenomena and it requires more research and understanding.

I am told that once Mrs. Indira Gandhi was not allowed to enter JNU by the students – that was not right but public opinion was in favor of the students including the then media.

My only humble suggestion to all and sundry, government and non-governmental organizations is that let our University be emancipated from the fear of violence. Within the University campus ideological clashes and political skirmishes may remain prevalent which are great signs of academia. Let the University grow in all directions Left, Right or Middle and also herald an era of freedom from fear.

Sometimes we make mistakes but it must be corrected at the earliest, if we don’t, it turns out to be a blunder. Younger generation may be faster, smarter and more intelligent but they cannot simply ignore the wisdom and experience of our senior citizens.

Listen to the elders – only renegotiation, reconsideration and reconciliation will restore normalcy in the University.

“When you genuinely want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it” (Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist).