phd thesis of kanhaiya kumar

Kanhaiya Kumar completes Ph.D., wants to pursue academic career

New Delhi: Former President of JNU Students’ Union, Mr. Kanhaiya Kumar completed his Ph.D. successfully. He had submitted the Ph.D. thesis in July 2018.

According to the report published in TOI , in 2011, Mr. Kanhaiya had enrolled in integrated MPhil/P.hD. degree of JNU’s Center for African Studies in School of International Studies.

It may be mentioned that his thesis was on ‘The Process of De-colonisation and Social Transformation in South Africa, 1994-2015’.

The submission of the thesis was delayed due to probe against the event which was organized on the third anniversary of the hanging of Afzal Guru, Parliament attack convict.

He submitted the thesis after approaching Delhi High Court. After court orders, another scholar, Umar Khalid was allowed to submit the thesis.

After securing a doctorate degree, Mr. Kahaiya said that he wants to pursue an academic career. He further said that he would look for Asst. Professor Post.

Talking about politics, he said that it is not his career rather responsibility towards society.

Exclusive: Kanhaiya’s PhD thesis article appears in journal blacklisted by global bodies and Iran

Kumar recently submitted his thesis in JNU, which he had completed under the guidance of Left-leaning professor SN Malakar in the Centre for African Studies, School of International Studies (SIS)

New Delhi: Former JNU student union president Kanhaiya Kumar has used a notorious journal blacklisted internationally to get his article published for PhD thesis submission, shows the journal’s website. The renowned globally trusted Beall’s List had mentioned the International Research Journal of Humanities, Engineering and Pharmaceutical Sciences (IJHEPS), where Kanhaiya’s article appeared, as a “predatory journal”. The Iran government followed (http://blacklist.hbi.ir/).

Predatory journals are those that accept money for publication of a research article bypassing peer review. One of Kumar’s associates Varun who responded to MyNation's queries on behalf of the student leader said they were unaware of the predatory status of the journal and would look into the matter.

“This is also news to us that the journal has been blacklisted. We submitted our article online. May be it is not blacklisted here in India. We are not aware of it. Before submission of PhD an article had to be published and we did it so that the government does not catch us on any grounds,” Varun said.

According to guidelines for submitting a PhD thesis, a student needs to publish a research article in a peer-reviewed journal, according to the University Grants Commission (UGC) gazette notification No. F1-2/2009 (EC/PS) V(1) Vol. 11.

Also read: Freedom from anti-nationals: Why India must let Umar Khalid & Co shout from rooftops

Kumar recently submitted his thesis in JNU, which he had completed under the guidance of Left-leaning professor SN Malakar in the Centre for African Studies, School of International Studies (SIS). Titled ‘The Process of Decolonisation and Social Transformation in South Africa’, the article was published in June this year in IJHEPS.

IJHEPS was listed among predatory journals in 2014 by Beall’s List, a report which was being regularly updated by Jeffrey Beall of the University of Colorado until January 2017 and is among the trusted sources on predatory journals. Predatory open-access publishing is a business model which involves charging publication fees from authors without providing the editorial and publishing services associated with legitimate journals.

IJHEPS also resorted to changing tack to escape the stigma and continue working after it was blacklisted on Beall’s List and the Iran government. It added ‘research’ to its name. It now operates as International Research Journal of Humanities, Engineering and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

But a MyNation search found that both the organisations have the same digital footprint as well as registration numbers. The old version of the journal, as listed in both Beall’s List and Iran’s blacklist, and the new avatar share the same International Standard Serial Number (ISSN 2249-2569).  

On the UGC list of approved journals, both the old blacklisted and the new entity share the same (ISSN 2249-2569) and the journal URL is the same for the two.

The owner of the journal, however, denied getting paid in lieu of publishing articles and denied charges of being predatory. “We were blacklisted as different countries have different academic norms. We are listed legitimately with UGC,” said Shashank Tiwari. On being asked why he changed the name after the journal appeared on Beall’s List, Tiwari said it was a printing error.

Moreover, the website of the concerned journal is in such a shape that one of the persons listed under ‘Contact Us’ tab had left the organisation long back and yet his contact details are up there. “I have left the organisation and I cannot comment on anything,” said Manish Yadav when contacted.  

Last Updated Sep 9, 2018, 9:06 AM IST

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Kanhaiya Kumar: Why I am an ‘accidental politician’ – and why I’m contesting the Lok Sabha election

The former president of jawaharlal nehru university students’ union is the communist party of india’s candidate from begusarai parliamentary seat in bihar..

Kanhaiya Kumar shot into national limelight in February 2016 when, as president of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union, he was arrested and charged with sedition .

A video purporting to show the student leader shouting slogans demanding “azadi” turned out to be doctored . Almost three years later, a chargesheet was finally filed against him in January, but there were gaping holes in the police account of events.

In the meanwhile, Kumar has completed his PhD and is now contesting the Begusarai Lok Sabha seat in Bihar as a candidate for the Communist Party of India. In this article, he explains his decision to contest.

Events unfolded in ways that I didn’t realise when I became an “accidental politician”. I have always been political, but just a few years ago my friends and I would have laughed at any suggestion of contesting the Lok Sabha election.

I am an academic by training. But we live in a society where we see violence around us, be it literal, mental or systemic. So more than anything else, I am an activist.

And now, after five years of the current regime at the Centre, I am in politics. And yet, I am not a “politician”.

I see it as my social responsibility to be part of an alternative politics.

A politics that stands up and fights against hate and oppression.

A politics that dreams of an India that rises beyond what divides us, and celebrates what unites us.

A politics that dreams of a society that truly values individual rights, inclusive development and progressive thinking.

A politics that dreams of a democracy strong enough, not just to undo the damage of the past five years, but to grab the opportunities of the coming 20.

That is why we fight. And this, is my story.

The story of who I am is not special. I was like most people around me. In school, I gave polio drops. In college, I worked at a coaching class. In Delhi, as I studied for Union Public Service Commission exams, I took up a job. My brother worked as a guard in Assam, and sent me money for UPSC coaching classes.

The government’s addition of Civil Services Aptitude Test to UPSC however, destroyed my chances of ever being in the civil services. This aptitude test made the possibility of Hindi-medium and, especially, students of humanities entering the services almost negligible.

Moreover, I could not afford the CSAT classes. But I do not look at it with any regrets. It is while studying for UPSC that I had my academic and political awakening.

So far, so normal.

It is when I came to the Jawaharlal Nehru University that I realised I could contribute, through my research, to the betterment of my people. But for me the JNU was never just an institution. It was a space with a life of its own that let you learn freely – not just from texts but from lived experiences and from social movements.

Activism was always a priority. Even when I contested for the post of the University Students’ Union President, I never thought that students would support me in such large numbers. This is where my life changed track completely.

Throughout my political journey, I have always questioned and criticised the people who abuse their positions of power. However, the current regime was different. Police intimidation and lathi-charges used to happen earlier also. But co-ordinated campaigns of slander, fake-news, absolute hatred, and absolutist labels like “anti-national” were very new indeed.

There is an old adage, usually attributed to Pericles, the Greek statesperson, which goes: “Just because you do not take an interest in politics, does not mean politics does not take an interest in you.” Well, I took interest in politics, and politics certainly took interest in me.

When we were attacked by the state, we had two options – to fight or to surrender. But in my opinion, we only had one.

So we fought, and that fight has brought me where I am today.

I am not here to show you what will be the alternative of this or that party. I am here to show you what should be the alternative politics of this country.

This alternative politics is not just a fight against oppression, but a fight for freedom and equality.

It is not just against the Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swaywamsevak Sangh’s Hindutva chauvinism, but for Ambedkar’s social inclusiveness.

It is not just against a mobocracy, but for a truly participatory democracy.

It is not my fight. It is ours.

A new framework

The first step to bring about any change is to take politics out of the pockets of the rich, and put it back into the hands of the average taxpayer.

It is she and he who fund the government, but her and his issues are completely missing from our debates.

Why? Because this is not a government for the taxpayer. It is a political machine for the rich. It is such systems that must be brought down. The government must be returned to the people.

Our second step should be to establish an issue-based alternative politics.

We must speak of the state of public education, public healthcare and public infrastructure.

We must speak for the marginalised – not only for minorities but also for trans-genders and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.

We must speak against the patriarchy, and for the right to consent.

We must speak of the new challenges our country is facing today – from environmental sustainability to the digital revolution and the right to privacy.

Most crucially, we must organise, exert pressure and vote based on this alternative politics.

Finally, it is through this alternative politics, that we must shape our democracy from a procedural democracy to a participatory democracy.

This alternative politics will help us build a new framework for welfare-ism. One that is not just accountable and transparent, but most importantly, one that is inclusive.

It should listen to the marginalised and speak truth to power.

It must stand for true participation, for the right of every citizen in this nation to speak, to organise and to contest elections.

Only with this framework can we build a democracy that stands the test of time, a democracy that helps the India of the future realise the dreams that remain unfulfilled from the past.

Almost taken for a ride: How Kanhaiya Kumar used his innate survival skills on moving to Delhi

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• Kanhaiya Kumar
• Elections 2019
• Lok Sabha Elections 2019
• Bihar Election 2019
• Student leaders
• Jawaharlal Nehru University

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What Kanhaiya Kumar, Shehla Rashid & Umar Khalid plan to do with their JNU PhDs

The trio, who became face of 2016 JNU protests, rule out joining active politics, claim they will stick to academics and research.

New Delhi: Student activists Kanhaiya Kumar, Shehla Rashid Shora and Umar Khalid — who became the face of the 2016 protests at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University that made national headlines — apparently have no plans to join active politics and will stick to academics and research.

In the aftermath of the 2016 protest — which erupted on the anniversary of the 2013 execution of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru — questions were raised about their studies and research. The three student leaders were even accused of wasting public money and pursuing their research in JNU for many years.

Although the protest has largely faded from public memory, the three make headlines once in a while, leading to speculation that they might soon make the switch to politics.

All three, however, are serious about academics and will continue to pursue a career path they chose before they made headlines, ThePrint has learnt.

Kanhaiya is looking for teaching job

Former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, who along with Khalid was jailed on sedition charge for participating in the 2016 protest, has gone back to his hometown Begusarai in Bihar where he wants to take up a teaching job.

Earlier in September, there was  speculation about  Kumar contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha election from his home state.

Kumar has done his PhD in social transformation in South Africa in the post-apartheid period. “All talk about Kanhaiya joining politics is just a rumour. He is currently busy in activism and plans to teach at a college in his hometown,” Kumar’s friend Dhananjay told ThePrint.

“He is looking for opportunities to teach and wants to remain in academia,” Dhananjay added.

A sociology student, Kumar was enrolled in the Centre for African Studies, School of International Studies in JNU.

Kumar’s PhD thesis, ‘The Process of De-colonisation and Social Transformation in South Africa, focuses on post-apartheid economic liberalisation in South Africa.

Talking about his thesis and its relevance, Kumar’s PhD guide Prof. S.N. Malakar said, “Kanhaiya was a sociology student and social stratification was his area of studies.”

“After completing his MA in sociology, he wanted to do research on the social demographics in South Africa…In his thesis, he has studied all policies made in South Africa from 1990 to 2018 and their impact,” Malakar explained.

“His PhD thesis is important to understand the context of globalisation which happened post 1990 all over the world. In the context of his thesis, we can analyse the impact it will have on South Africa and India and the relations between these two countries,” he added.

Also read:  Under Lalu’s banner, Kanhaiya Kumar’s ex-comrade wants to expose Right & Left in JNU

Shehla to focus on tech and policy

Shehla Rashid emerged as a prominent student leader for more than one reason – she was the first Kashmiri woman to occupy the JNUSU vice-president’s post, she was a good orator and was the face of protests against the arrest of Khalid and Kumar. Her speeches were taken seriously by supporters of free speech in and outside the campus.

An NIT Srinagar graduate, Rashid was always interested in technology and policy, which is also the area of her PhD thesis. Once complete, Shehla plans to use her thesis for policy-making.

She is currently working on the synopsis of her thesis, ‘How algorithm based decision-making affects fundamental rights”, that is likely to focus on topics such as Aadhaar and cyber policing.

“I will look at three examples from India for my case study, one of which could be Aadhaar. It is an example of how algorithm can affect policy decisions,” Rashid told ThePrint.

“In the United States, the research on this subject is at a very advanced stage. But in India it is a new thing,” she explained.

Also read:   Shehla Rashid: The Marxist who was unaware of her Muslim identity till Modi came to power

Umar to continue focusing on tribal studies

Khalid did his PhD on the tribals in Jharkhand. Through his PhD thesis, ‘Contesting claims and contingencies of rule: Singhbhum, 1800-2000’, Khalid has tried to study the tribal history in southeast Jharkhand comprising East and West Singhbhum districts to explore how the Naxal movement thrived in this belt.

According to Umar, he got interested in the subject after he joined JNU. “When I joined JNU, there was a lot of discussion happening on the Maoist movement,” he told ThePrint.

“People like Arundhati Roy, Gautam Navlakha and others were writing on it, so I got interested in knowing the history of the movement,” he said.

“What I discovered during my research is that the rebellion goes back to the colonial period…the pattern of pitting locals against locals has remained consistent as a state policy,” he said.

He said there is a misconception that tribals are a community which is in tune with nature and that the arrival of the state is differentiating their livelihood.

“However, that is not true. Otherwise how would you explain something like Salwa Judum (a movement led by local tribal youth to counter Maoist violence in Chhattisgarh)?” Khalid asked.

“There is a conflict and hierarchy within the tribals is what I found during my research,” he explained.

Umar claims his PhD thesis is relevant in current times. “Because of the current political dispensation, not many students are coming forward to research on tribal movement and the Maoist movement although the number of students of Dalit history has gone up, which is a good thing,” he said.

Apart from tribal studies, he also plans to work in the social sector in future. “I will continue to work in the field of tribal studies and do my activism but I have no plans to enter active politics,” he said.

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12 COMMENTS

Time has come to write obituary note for the future of this country. There is no value for merit and JNU like institutions aka dens preach separatism. What do these three characters going to teach when they are a burden to this society and live or lived on the dole paid by the tax paying citizen. We actually don’t need these useless PhDs and the dens that offer. Time to shut them down

These students are the future of India. They have had the courage to stand up to the corrupt and fake nationalists of today, suffered the criminalisation of politics and are the hope of a democratic India.

Their studies show the depth of their knowledge and engagement with Indian economy and sociology today that not of the fake nationalists come close to understanding.

Salute their courage and commitment to India.

This kanhaiya idiot once told in TV that today’s youth is more equipted(it should be equipped).will he teach like this? What happened to this idiot’s PhD?

What the hell they were doing while giving the slogans against India? Why they are now inclined towards the social causes and the overall scenario of India? What these people think about their daily lives? Are they really being more attentive towards their career or just for the entertainment? Why these bloody people want to be famous in this or the other way through the headlines? They are not only the ones to take on the research work in this JNU or any other universities. I want to kick and throw these people out of the country.

What the hell they were doing while giving the slogans against India? Why they are now inclined towards the social causes and the overall scenario of India? What these people think about their daily lives? Are they really being more attentive towards their career or just for the entertainment? Why these bloody people want to be famous in this or the other way through the headlines? They are not only the ones to take on the research work in this JNU or any other universities. I want to kick and throw these people out

Best wishes to all of them for all their future endeavours.

Their thoughts, ideology n speach not against the national interest they can be allowed or put them in the jail prominently .

Goes on to show how a fascist government does to effort to besmirch people who question there dubious policies. To date people raising slogans have not been caught, for the simple reason because they were planted there by government and later made them run away and the blame was put on the jnu elected students.

Fake nationalists worried the students may expose them.

Nation is more important than these ….

At the very outset its absolutely a wrong notion that the protest in JNU complex in 2016 spear headed by these ‘3 idiots’ with their infamous slogan “Afzal hum sharminda hai tere kaatil zinda hai” & “Bharat tere tukrey karkey rahengey” has been erased from the people’s memory. The doctrine of ultra left & ultra Islamist with which their mindset has been poisoned against the nation, I frankly feel that whatever career they follow for their future I’m very sure that they will follow their careers in the interest of the nation. Because these are ‘Viruses’ which should be uprooted before they spread their demented ideology of anti-nation.

Don’t you think its relevant that the court should decide if they even are rotten apples or tomotoes.

The police have yet to file a chargesheet in the case which they have not done. Let’s have an open mind rather than coming to conclusion…

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The Kanhaiya Kumar Interview: 'We live so we can defeat fear'

'It used to sound very strange.' 'That the same child who used to sing Jana Gana Mana the loudest in class, who celebrated August 15 and 26th January with such fervour and who has always nurtured the desire to make India a better nation being called desh drohi .' 'It was very painful.'

'I was thinking if someone inside the court can be attacked in front of the police, the public, then what will become of the Constitution, the concept of justice, will people decide justice on the streets?'

You either hate him or love him.

At the beginning of the year, charged and arrested for sedition for allegedly raising anti-India slogans at Jawaharlal Nehru University, where he was president of the students union, Kanhaiya Kumar stood at the heart of the debate on nationalism that has now come to dominate the national discourse.

And just as the year comes to an end, the most talked about student leader this year is out with a book, From Bihar to Tihar , published by Juggernaut Books.

In an interview with Rediff.com 's Archana Masih conducted over Skype, Kanhaiya Kumar speaks about his days in Tihar jail, why he is anti-Modi and how he will overtake everyone in his class to submit his PhD thesis.

• The Red Earth That Made Kanhaiya Kumar

After your release from Tihar, when the jailor asked where you want to go, you said home -- which meant JNU. Why is JNU home?

When you enter your home, you feel apnapan . There is no sense of denial.

Similarly, there is no denial in JNU, there is only acceptance. It is inclusive. You are never demoralised or humiliated because of your background or anything else.

JNU is an extension of my Bihat home.

You say you are anti-Modi, not anti-India -- don't you find anything positive about Narendra Modi?

I have said repeatedly that I am not against Modi ji as a person. I oppose the ideology that he represents.

I oppose him as the symbol of that ideology, and honestly, I don't see anything positive in that ideology.

This ideology is anti-women, anti-minority, anti-Dalit, anti-poor, anti-farmer and anti- democracy.

The way he ( Modi ) has worked and spread himself in this country is the only thing one can learn from him, and other political organisations should also learn from that.

How has life changed after Tihar? You say you have no private life and are surrounded by security guards, people, the media.

I have always lived a life surrounded by people. It is said when you don't have something you miss it more.

I used to live in a single-seater room. I still do, but earlier I wasn't ever alone in my room -- people used to come and go because of my social engagements, political activity -- but I had a space.

I could take a bus and go anywhere when I wanted to, watch a match, or cinema -- that has completely stopped now.

I have to inform the police, they come, then there are 2, 3 other people.

So life has to be planned -- I am pareshan (fed up) with that.

Why can't you refuse security and go out on your own?

If I go on my own, there are two problems:

• those closest to me get worried about my security;
• if some mishap happens the State will wash its hands off and say that it had provided security, but I didn't avail it.

Now security inside JNU has been withdrawn. There is a boy from my village who lives with me 24x7. My village people have sent him, but when I go out I have security.

How have your studies been disturbed in these past 6, 7 months?

Nuksan toh hua hi hai (It has been affected) . But all this has to be done simultaneously.

These are the challenges of life. I have to sleep less and work more.

In your book you do not describe much of your experience inside the classroom compared to the activity outside, while the criticism against you is that you do less of studying and more of activism.

This criticism is made by those who have not done much in life themselves.

I give you the example of Bhagat Singh. He was the college topper and was actively involved in political activity. He also had a personal life. He loved eating rasgulla and watching films.

I was the topper in the JNU entrance exam. Now I am writing my PhD thesis while most classmates have written most of it -- but I can say with confidence that my PhD will be the first to be submitted.

Those who fight for societal change are always good in studies too. If they aren't -- they won't be able to fight because they will not understand society to begin with. They will not have the capacity to question.

Posing a question is more difficult than the answer.

When you learn to ask questions, you will be able to find the answers too.

You have to fit your schedule according to your ideas -- for me watching cricket or a film is less important than participating in a protest or burning an effigy.

People study after watching a film. I do that after participating in a protest.

Have you felt dejected or defeated by the powers of the government? What are the low moments?

The day I realise that, this battle will be over.

People say I have a lot of money, but I don't even have a cycle. My father's treatment is being done in the district hospital in Begusarai.

People say I have contacts with netas (leaders) , but I don't know if I will get a job once I come out of JNU.

I feel low when I think of this contradictory situation, but then I feel what is there for me to lose that I am getting so upset about.

And what are the highs?

The way people supported JNU -- how they came out on the streets, suffered humiliation.

But there are as many against JNU?

It's not important for me what Venkaiah Naidu says. For me, what is more important is what Noam Chomsky or Arundhati Roy say.

I am talking about the perception of the aam janta .

We study about normal distribution in social science -- to think that Modi's perception is also the aam janta 's perception is very wrong.

It is wrong to think that the entire country is following the Hindutva agenda.

There is no opposition to Kanhaiya Kumar from the common people. Those who oppose are all paid RSS people or the chamcha s of BJP MLAs or MPs. It is an organised movement of a particular ideology.

Your arrest started a debate on nationalism, you became a metaphor for sedition -- how did you handle this allegation?

First it used to sound very strange. That the same child who used to sing Jana Gana Mana the loudest in class, who celebrated August 15 and 26th January with such fervour and who has always nurtured the desire to make India a better nation being called desh drohi . It was very painful.

I then gradually realised that my perspective of nation is very different from those who called themselves the champions of nationalism.

My perspective is drawn from the country's Constitution, but theirs is drawn from Manusmriti.

You mentioned you get anonymous threats against your family, do you still get them?

Yes. The frequency of letters has reduced, but I get 1, 2 in a month.

The book mentions incidents of praise, but you don't mention any hostility that you have faced. What is the worst thing someone has said to you while accusing you of being anti-national?

Ironically in this country -- all the abuses are in the name of the mother and sister.

They are against women, hence I did not want to use them. I didn't use it in the book because it contradicts what I stand for.

Most of the letters had abuses for my mother and sister.

When I went to Faizabad, two boys approached with a garland of flowers, but instead threw an egg and went away.

If you have to throw an egg, why bring a garland along?

There are allegations against me, but I too am a citizen of this country. It is my Constitutional right that my security is ensured when I am presented in court.

Those who call themselves the guardians of the law were breaking the law and that moment was painful.

You write that you had not felt fear the way you felt in the court that day.

We do not have the option to feel afraid since we have nothing to lose.

Even that day in court, I was not fearful about my life. I was thinking where is this country headed?

People like us live our lives in difficult circumstances. We live so that we can defeat fear.

If we remain fearful, we will not be able to live at all.

I was thinking if someone inside the court can be attacked in front of the police, the public, then what will become of the Constitution, the concept of justice, will people decide justice on the streets?

Are we going from a democratic to a theocratic state?

Are you saying that when your nose was bleeding, when you had been attacked, you were not afraid about your well being?

You can attack me, but what you are doing is having a very bad effect on society. Do you want people to stop talking?

This is a very bad precedent and is very dangerous. People will stop speaking, stop raising their voice. This is a painful situation.

A wound of the nose can healed, but a wound of the brain stops people from speaking and that is more dangerous.

You seemed to have left Tihar without any bad memories and found the prison guards were sympathetic.

Prison is not as fearsome as it seems.

My days in Tihar were not daravana (scary) . It's the little things that you miss most, like when I wanted a nail cutter and had to wait a day for it because it is seen as a weapon.

I missed looking at the birds and stars.

Just as you came out with happy memories, you could have come out with bad memories too -- so the State did not always collude against you, isn't it?

I have said this before -- that the State actively worked against me. The retaliation it faced made the State realise its mistake and it quickly went into damage control.

The charge against me is that there was (anti national) sloganeering in my university, not that I was shouting those slogans -- and that I was part of that procession.

I wasn't among the 10 organisers. I am not there in video evidence either.

The police used to ask me -- 'Fine, you did not raise the slogans, but why did you not stop those who were.'

Based on this logic, I can say that the slogans were said in this country, so the PM should go to jail.

The police could not logically establish their point to society.

You were kept away from other prisoners because there was a threat to your life.

And that I would influence them.

I was kept isolated. The next two cells were empty.

When other prisoners were locked inside, I was taken out.

The people I got to interact with were essential staff.

I only had two requests from the jailor -- for paper and pen and to increase the number of roti s because I remained hungry after eating what was given.

Your book ends at the point where you come to give the speech after your release from Tihar that was shown on television channels. Did you compose the phrase ' Desh se azadi nahi, desh mein azadi (We want freedom in India, not freedom from India) ' on the spur of the moment or had you used it before?

I did not imagine that so many television channels would be there and it would be aired live.

It was the first time I used the phrase ' Desh se azadi nahi, desh mein azadi ' because I was asked this question over and over again while in custody -- from the judge to the police -- I was asked, 'What do you want freedom from?'

So I wanted to tell people what azadi means and what we want azadi from in this environment of desh bhakti .

You write your speech was a continuation of a conversation about rights that you had started earlier and had been arrested for. Where has that conversation reached 7 months later?

We are weak in the war of perception. They have the power of the State and a strong propaganda machinery to take their perception to the people effectively.

Our pace is slow, but we are not hopeless. They have had to go on the backfoot many times which gives us energy.

They had to replace the human resources minister. We don't have the facilities or propaganda machinery, but people are willing to connect to our discourses.

Students have stood up collectively and emerged as an opposition to the government in different universities.

They have compelled the government to alter its narrative.

What have been your achievements and failures since then?

The failure has been that those who are ruining this nation have projected themselves as desh bhakt s. We have not been able to effectively counter this.

The achievement has been that a process has started that connects JNU with the common people of this country.

A discourse is happening and people are questioning the government.

If we are able to spread our message speedily and based on a structure, we can convert our failure into success.

You were invited to the Kasauli Literary Festival last month, then you were in Punjab for another function -- how many invitations do you get a month?

If I accept the invitations, I will get a programme every day, but this is the last year of my PhD. I have to submit my thesis by July. I am invited for many programmes, but I myself turn them down.

You have not ruled out joining politics.

I am not ruling it out and I am not denying it because I don't have concrete answers. I have not joined any political party.

I am in politics, so I can't deny that I am not involved in politics.

My nature is that I don't plan too much.

What do you see as the future of Marxism in the march of the BJP?

We don't think it is our responsibility to promote or defend any ideology. We don't have the task of defending the burden of history.

Whatever ideology can help us resolve the problems of today -- Marxism, Ambedkarism, Gandhism -- we should take the help of all.

Are you pessimistic or optimistic about the country's future?

I see a lot of optimism.

Regardless of my criticism when I speak to European friends, I defend the democracy and diversity of this country.

I tell them that India cannot be compared with Europe. India should be compared to its own history -- to the different stages of its history.

We have undertaken a long journey and have a long way to go.

We have solved many problems and have many more to solve.

What attracted you to Left thinking?

The youth of this nation is basically anti-establishment. But the circumstances of her/his life result in the suppression of this thought.

The circumstances of my life did not suppress it, but helped it grow.

Left means taking a position against the problems that exist in society. I am part of that group and proud of it.

JNU student Najeeb Ahmad has been missing, why has there been no street agitation by JNU students for Najeeb Ahmad?

Every issue has its own dynamics. JNU students are agitating on campus like they always do.

But the way people are reacting is different and there are many reasons for it -- at that time the media hyped it, this time there is media blackout.

Nothing is known concretely in this case, it's a mysterious situation.

Why did you write this book?

This is no biography, but a political memoir which reveals what happened to me -- how ordinary people become victims of State repression.

It is a challenge to take your message to people in the face of the RSS propaganda machine.

I thought a book would be a good means.

From Bihar to Tihar is available in book stores and on the Juggernaut app . It is also available in Hindi as Bihar se Tihar .

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Kanhaiya Kumar on sedition and ‘freedom’ in India

Indian student leader was arrested in New Delhi for allegedly shouting anti-India slogans.

Indian student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who was jailed by authorities on sedition charges, isn’t backing down from his criticism of the government following his release on bail from jail.

Police in New Delhi arrested Kumar, a PhD student at Jawaharlal Nehru University, for allegedly shouting anti-India slogans – a charge he has denied.

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His speech on March 3 went viral and #Kanhaiyakumar was on Twitter’s top 10 global trending list.

Kumar has attacked the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what he calls its dictatorial tendencies. Al Jazeera spoke to the 28-year-old student about his arrest.

Al Jazeera: There is an outpouring of support for you. How do you feel after coming out of jail?

Kumar:  Through your channel I want to thank people around the world who have stood in support of JNU, democracy and justice. A fight has been waged against those who have attacked democracy. I feel, it’s the beginning of that fight and it’s going to be long.

Can you tell us about the incident in court in Delhi when lawyers attacked you?

It was a worrying moment for me, but I was not scared. What’s happening in my country is that on the one hand people are talking about justice, constitution and patriotism and on other hand one accused [Kanhaiya] was attacked inside a court complex. It was an attack on democracy. Those who did were in lawyers’ dress, whose profession is to serve justice. They are now talking about mob justice instead of law of the land.

READ MORE: Loud and clear, Indian students send message of freedom

What’s your take on the sedition law under which you were arrested?

Words can be wrong and right, but they cannot come under sedition law. Unless the words are put into practice, sedition should not be slapped on anybody.

This government has resorted to dictatorial and fascist ways. Those who speak against them and their ideology are being branded as anti-nationals. Laws like sedition are not needed in a liberal democratic state. It is being misused. It is being used as a political tool by this government.

It’s the same law drafted by the colonial power. No changes have ever been made. It’s being used on the same pattern as the British used it.

The current controversy has its genesis in an event organised by students at JNU on the issue of Indian-administered Kashmir. Do you think there is freedom to talk about the Kashmir issue in India?

In India, Kashmiri people can speak – freedom of speech is guaranteed by the constitution. The way they [government officials] are trying to control freedom of speech, it shows their dictatorial tendency. It’s not a matter of Kashmir or Pakistan, this government does not tolerate persons, institutions and groups that have differing views.

They have this tag of anti-national that they impose. If somebody talks about Kashmir, border disputes, capital punishment, if somebody talks about it under the limits of the constitution then it’s not wrong. There was a public outcry after a section of the media focused on the slogan “Bharat tere tukde honge” [India you will be broken into pieces]. But was that slogan shouted or not? I don’t know. It’s still under investigation.

Is the controversy about freedom of speech – or a student backlash against the government’s education policy?

The government is attacking educational institutions. It’s a continuous attack against India’s intelligentsia, which talks about protection of constitution, human rights and freedom. Voice of dissent arises from there. These voices of dissent become basis for agitation against anti-people policies being pushed by this government.

To limit freedom of expression and trample voices that are against the government’s wishes, and crush any chances of agitations building up against the government – attack on JNU is part of this strategy because JNU stands up against anti-people policies.

READ MORE: New Delhi protest: Thousands call for student’s freedom 

Why do you think the government and far-right groups such as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) are attacking JNU?

RSS is an organisation with a terrible ideology. It does not understand India; it has always tried to destroy India’s social fabric. It has nothing to do with India’s sanskriti [culture]. It runs its politics on the basis of rumours and divisive agendas. For them attacking institutions like JNU is necessary as these institutions stand for human rights.

Multicultural tradition and thought is against RSS ideology. RSS believes in dictatorial ideology. Its guidelines have been inspired from Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler  and their hardcore nationalist views. That’s why they are not able to digest JNU, and thus continuously attack. This government is guided by RSS diktat more than parliament and constitution.

Do you think space for freedom of expression has narrowed in India?

The scope of freedom of expression has not shrunk but it is under continuous attack from the government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not spoken on this issue. Do you think he should have intervened?

It’s ironic that Modi used to tell us about the last Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, that he was silent as if he did not have tongue. But reality is that the previous prime minister at least used to speak on important issues of the country. He used to take a stand when it was required. I don’t know what’s Modi’s majboori [helplessness] that after becoming prime minister – be it the issue of education, people rights, health, attack on constitution – he has remained silent. Modi has turned out to be the real silent prime minister.

How do you define Azadi [freedom] – a term that landed you in trouble?

When we talk about Azadi it is not just about one state against another. Its ambit is big and meaning is very big. Azadi is also about getting rid of issues facing the country. By relating meaning of Azadi with unity and sovereignty of the country there was an attempt to misinterpret it. Now the truth is coming out.

Two other students from JNU are still in jail. What is being done to address their cases?

We have a students union and we will take a call as per its constitution. Student council will decide what course of action needs to be taken. There is consensus among students that we will continue agitation for the release of jailed students who are facing sedition cases, and reinstatement of those students who have been suspended.

Even teachers, common students and employees are supporting us, only ABVP [the ruling BJP’s student wing] is not part of this.

Your speech went viral. Why do you think people liked it so much?

Whatever happened to me, I put before people the truth and my pain. I am very glad and thankful that people liked my speech.

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Modi did his MA at 35, at least I'm doing PhD at 30: Kanhaiya Kumar at India Today Conclave

Prime minister modi's education qualification has been a matter of controversy, with many in the opposition asking him to produce his documents. multiple right to information (rti) applications have so far been filed in both delhi and gujarat universities, where modi did his ba and ma respectively..

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• Kanhaiya was part of the 'young Turks' panel at India Today Conclave 2018.
• Panel also included Hardik Patel, Shehla Rashid, Rohit Chahal and Shubhrastha.
• Modi's education qualification has been a matter of controversy.

Responding to allegation that he is still studying at the state-run Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) even at 30, firebrand student leader Kanhaiya Kumar today said he is at least pursing his research at that age, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi finished his MA at 35.

"Modi ji did his MA at 35. At least I am doing my PhD at 30," Kanhaiya said in the session titled 'Future of Identity Politics' at the annual India Today Conclave 2018 in Mumbai, moderated by Managing Editor Rahul Kanwal.

Kanhaiya was part of the 'young Turks' panel, which also included Patidar leader from Gujarat, Hardik Patel, Kumar's colleague at JNU, Shehla Rashid, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader Rohit Chahal, and columnist Shubhrastha.

Kanhaiya Kumar and Shehla Rashid, student leaders at JNU who have been consistently opposing the BJP government at the Centre, have often been charged with continuing their education using the "tax-payer's money" at a premier university.

Shubhrastha, who denied she is a member of the BJP but admitted her sympathies lie with the party, had repeated the same charge aimed at the duo at the India Today Conclave.

Shortly after he was released on bail following his arrest on sedition charges, Kanhaiya in May 2016 had said, "Questions are being raised about taxpayers money being spent on us and why our PhDs are taking so long and subsidies being given to us. So it has now become more of a political responsibility on me than being an academic mandate."

In her reply to Shubhrastha, Kanhaiya added that he has duly filed his tax returns this year and his tax records can be accessed from the Income Tax department.

Angry over the charges of taxpayers' money being spent on their education, Shehla Rashid said, "Let me first tell you that we all pay a lot of tax through GST... I also want to tell the people who make such arguments. Why carry the charade of running universities when history is being changed and Darwin's theory being rejected by BJP ministers? Why not shut down universities and turn them into shakhas?"

CONTROVERSY OVER MODI'S DEGREE

Prime Minister Modi's education qualification has been a matter of controversy, with many in the opposition asking him to produce his documents. Multiple Right to Information (RTI) applications have so far been filed in both Delhi and Gujarat universities, where Modi did his BA and MA respectively.

In 2016, after the Central Information Commissioner (CIC) asked the Gujarat and Delhi universities to provide details of Modi's degrees, the Gujarat University produced a marksheet that showed he had scored 62.3 per cent in MA in political science as an external candidate in 1983.

Modi, was 32 then, not 35, as claimed by Kanhaiya.

Modi's BA degree from Delhi University, however, has been shrouded in a massive mystery. Earlier this year, DU told the Delhi High Court that it cannot share the exam records of students who had pursued BA in 1978, the year in which the varsity claims Modi had graduated.

I did my PhD at 30, while PM Modi did his MA at 35: Kanhaiya Kumar

Why is Kanhaiya Kumar's candidature from Delhi instead of Bihar's Begusarai?

C ontrary to expectations and barely five years after making his electoral debut from Bihar’s Begusarai Lok Sabha seat — referred to as the Leningrad of Bihar for being a traditional Communist stronghold — Kanahiya Kumar, who contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as CPI candidate, has shifted his base to North East Delhi seat as a Congress candidate.

The former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president joined Congress in 2021 and is currently in charge of the National Students Union of India, the student wing of Congress.

Born in Bihat village in Begusarai, he graduated in geography from the College of Commerce in Patna. He topped the entrance examination of JNU and pursued his PhD in African Studies. While at university, Kumar was a member of the All India Students’ Federation, the student wing of the Communist Party of India.

2016 was a red-letter year for Kumar. In February, he, along with students such as Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, was charged with sedition for allegedly participating in and shouting slogans deemed anti-national at a cultural event meant to question the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. Videos that showed Kumar shouting slogans were shown on national television and later proved to be doctored. A Delhi government probe and a JNU high-level enquiry were instituted. One cleared him, the other penalized him. He was sent to jail, and released on bail. In October of that year, Kumar lost his father, Jai Shankar Singh, a daily wage labourer and farmer. His memoir, From Bihar To Tihar was published the same month.

He received his doctorate from JNU in 2019.

That year, Kumar stood for elections as a CPI candidate from Begusarai. In the 2019 general elections, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Giriraj Singh won the Begusarai seat for the first time with a margin of 422,217 votes. He polled 692,193 votes with a vote share of 56.44%. He defeated Kumar who got 269,976 votes (22.01%). RJD's Tanweer Hassan stood third with 198,233 votes (16.16%).

This time around, when the Mahagathbandhan or Grand Alliance in Bihar started seat-sharing talks, the question on everyone’s mind was whether Kumar would once again cross swords with Giriraj Singh.

The suspense ended last month itself when the seat went to CPI in the seat-sharing arrangement, and for a brief while, there was talk that Kumar might fight from Maharajganj. But Kumar has moved to the National Capital.

Reasons for the shift

Ever since the Congress announced Kumar’s candidature from the North East Delhi seat, the ruling alliance started attacking the Congress for bankruptcy, while the Janata Dal (United) — once again, back with the BJP-National Democratic Alliance after a few years with the Mahagathbandhan— blamed it on former ally Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Kumar allegedly wanted to contest elections from Begusarai itself, but the Congress did not get the seat in the alliance, giving rise to rumours that the RJD does not like Kumar.

“Lalu Prasad has a clear understanding that no one will stand against his son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav in politics. Congress leadership has decided to field Kanhaiya Kumar in Delhi. Without Lalu Prasad's permission, the Congress cannot even smile in Bihar,” said JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar.

Retired professor Nawal Kishore Chowdhary, a social analyst concurred. “Lalu was up against him in Bihar. He did not want any leader to stand parallel to his son. In the past also, they (Kanahiya and Tejashwi) have not shared a dais,” said Chowdhary.

BJP Begusarai candidate Giriraj Singh took a dig at the Congress’s decision. “Congress is a tired party. It is not able to find a candidate...so Kanhaiya Kumar has been given the ticket from Delhi,” said Singh.

The Congress leaders of Bihar however have defended the decision.

“Kanhaiya Kumar is a brand and a very analytical person. He talks with facts. He is a popular face in politics. Delhi is important for us and he has done his initial politics from JNU. He would be more effective there,” Anand Madhab, Congress spokesperson, said.

Congress has a long-term strategy behind giving him a ticket from the North East Delhi seat.

It has fielded Kumar against BJP's Manoj Tiwari in a seat dominated by Purvanchalis, i.e., people belonging from east UP and Bihar.

The strategy

Congress leaders familiar with the matter said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wanted Kumar to contest the elections from Delhi, and the option of a North East Delhi seat was given to Kumar. If he succeeds then Congress will get a big Purvanchali face in Delhi. While setting the election tone, Kumar will bring the conversation around to the performance of the Modi government and thus, strengthen the Congress campaign.

The North East Delhi seat has a majority population of Purvanchali who live in illegal colonies and are mostly migrants.

Kumar was very active during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and played a crucial role in getting the support of youth. In contrast, Manoj Tiwary of the BJP is the lone MP retained in Delhi. Tiwary, also a Purvanchali, is a two-time MP.

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Sedition row: Umar Khalid says JNU refused to accept PhD thesis

Umar khalid, along with kanhaiya kumar and others, had recently been fined by the administration’s appeals committee, set up to review punishments given earlier in the case..

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration Monday allegedly refused to accept the PhD submission of Umar Khalid and another student, over punishment given to them in connection with the February 9, 2016 event on campus where alleged anti-India slogans were raised. Monday was the last day for MPhil and PhD submissions.

Khalid, along with Kanhaiya Kumar and others, had recently been fined by the administration’s Appeals Committee, set up to review punishments given earlier in the case. Khalid was also rusticated for the next semester, despite this being his last semester.

The Delhi High Court had set aside JNU’s order on Kumar and stated that it “suffers from the vice of illegality, irrationality and procedural impropriety”, as a result of which Kumar was allowed to submit his thesis on Monday. Justice Siddharth Mridul, who is hearing the matter, had told JNU not to take any coercive action against Khalid till the next date of hearing — August 16.

“We didn’t pay the fine. We have already challenged the order, but we moved court again today saying JNU is not complying with the no-coercion order. They were again told to comply. But when I came back to JNU, the proctor refused to accept my submission, arguing that it was not coercion. This is another level of vendetta. I will definitely not pay the fine… I will contest this further,” claimed Khalid, whose PhD on the Adivasis of Jharkhand has been signed by all authorities except the Chief Proctor and Finance Officer.

JNU Chief Proctor Kaushal Kumar Sharma did not respond to calls and texts.

Kumar said he, too, was harassed by the administration for three days with regard to his PhD submission before the HC intervened. “The judge had clearly said no coercive action had to be taken but Umar’s submission was stopped,” he said.

Along with Khalid, Aswathi Nair, who has done her PhD on Political Economy of the Transformation of Zimbabwe from 1980-2013, was also not allowed to submit her thesis. She had been slapped with a fine of Rs 20,000. “The Chief Proctor has completely failed to pay heed to any directive from the court. Despite bringing to his notice several times that this was in violation of what the court has said, he did not relent,” she said.

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• Kanhaiya Kumar
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This year, 352 women were among the 1,016 candidates selected for the civil services, with the top spot going to male candidate Aditya Srivastava. Among the top 20 candidates, five were selected on their third try and seven on their fifth try. The civil services have seen a gradual increase in women's representation, from 20% in the late 1980s to an all-time high of 34% this year.

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