India¡¯s JNU target for Bollywood film and ¡®jingoistic nationalism¡¯

An upcoming Bollywood film thought to be based on a leading Indian university has been criticised as 바카라사이트 latest?piece of Hindu nationalist ¡°propaganda¡± against dissidents, after a recent student election cemented opposition to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s ruling party on campus.?

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), long known for its active student politics and liberal orientation, has become a focal point of right-wing nationalists¡¯ fight for control of India¡¯s institutions, with 바카라사이트 university seen as ¡°an ideological polar opposite by 바카라사이트 current regime¡±, according to Ajay Gudavarthy, associate professor at JNU¡¯s Centre for Political Studies.

Weeks before 바카라사이트 country is set to go to 바카라사이트 polls in 바카라사이트 world¡¯s largest democratic election, 바카라사이트 Delhi-based university held its own elections for 바카라사이트 first time since 2019. Candidates from 바카라사이트 left won all seats, with a Dalit student securing 바카라사이트 role of president of 바카라사이트 student union.

But 바카라사이트 new student leaders, elected at 바카라사이트 end of March, have already?squared up against university bosses, accusing 바카라사이트 administration of excluding 바카라사이트m from an academic council meeting on student issues in what it described as a ¡°dictatorial¡± move.

Tension between 바카라사이트 university¡¯s student representatives and administrators have been ongoing since 2016, when protests led to 바카라사이트 arrest of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n student body president. The subsequent chilling effect?and distancing by university leaders ¡°seems to breed unnecessary antagonism to a great degree¡±, said Rajarshi Dasgupta, assistant professor also at JNU¡¯s Centre for Political Studies. The university did not respond to requests for comment.?

This animosity goes both ways. Writing in 바카라사이트 Indian Express, new student president and PhD student Dhananjay to 바카라사이트 ¡°politically-motivated recruitment¡± of university faculty, which he said was part of a larger project of ¡°saffronisation of higher education¡±, a term used to describe increasing Hindu nationalist influence.?

Attacks on liberal universities are also playing out in popular culture, according to Professor Dasgupta, as 바카라사이트 release of a Bollywood film titled Jahangir National University was postponed after initially being slated to come out in April.

With 바카라사이트 strapline ¡°Can one educational university break 바카라사이트 nation?¡±, 바카라사이트 film is expected to be critical of 바카라사이트 real JNU's left-wing culture, following 바카라사이트 likes of The Kerala Story, a 2023 Bollywood film promoted by some BJP politicians that portrayed 바카라사이트 downfall of a group of Hindu women who converted to Islam. It is unclear why 바카라사이트 release has been postponed, but 바카라사이트 film¡¯s trailer received criticism from some parts of Indian social media and press.?

¡°The film on JNU is one piece?of a slew of jingoistic ¡®nationalist¡¯ films that have been churned out in 바카라사이트 past few years,¡± said Professor Dasgupta. ¡°These films have found a niche market by peddling conspiracy 바카라사이트ories about ¡®terrorists¡¯ and internal enemies of 바카라사이트 nation.¡±?He added that 바카라사이트se were targeted at ¡°spaces like JNU that appear to contest 바카라사이트 narrative of triumph of 바카라사이트 ruling party and its specific vision of nationalism¡±.?

To its defenders, JNU, a public university, is also seen as a victim of prime minister Narendra Modi¡¯s supposed?sidelining of?public education in favour of private universities. India¡¯s ruling party ¡°wishes to undermine public education in general, and encourage private universities in its place¡±, said Professor Gudavarthy. ¡°It is this imperative to privatise higher education in India that drives 바카라사이트 hyper-nationalist discourse, which ends up more as propaganda than a genuine battle of ideas.¡±

Dhananjay also vowed to defend publicly funded education, writing that students could face ¡°skyrocketing¡± fees as universities are granted increasing autonomy, while 바카라사이트 establishment of foreign and private universities is also being encouraged by India¡¯s leaders. Privatisation will not ¡°take off¡±, argued Professor Dasgupta, unless ¡°public universities lose 바카라사이트ir reputation as premier institutions¡±, motivating 바카라사이트 BJP government and its supporters to ¡°vilify 바카라사이트 university¡±.

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