There has been no difference in the hate that is being taught in European universities and madrassas regarding Hindus and Jews, especially after the emergence of critical race theory and the funding of Islamic countries post 9/11 to the universities of the United States, which is leading today’s academic world.
Similarly, the encampment of radical student outfits that started at the universities in the United States reached universities of other countries, except the Islamic nations, to corner Jews globally. It is always difficult to justify police action against students, scholars, and faculties at universities but what is happening at the universities is unprecedented and day-by-day becoming genocidal of Jews. Moreover, the police action at Jamia Millia Islamia was once seen as debatable and unwelcome, but the other stance was never discussed well.
Police Action at Amsterdam University
Around 125 activists were arrested by Dutch police early on Tuesday as they broke up a pro-Palestinian demonstration camp at the University of Amsterdam. Protests had expanded throughout Europe in response to the unrest that had rocked American colleges. Protests and student encampments were observed in other parts of Europe. Following violent protests, Amsterdam police declared on the social media site ‘X’ that their actions were “necessary to restore order.” No immediate reports of injuries were made.
Encampments: New strategy to subvert democracy
Since universities are safe places where one can debate and discuss any issue without any restriction, such spaces are now being utilised by anti-social forces in favour of anti-Semitic groups like Hamas. The involvement of student groups in national and international politics appears to be new, which is nothing but a hoax, as the very inception of such universities was planned in such a way that would ultimately cater to the national and international interests of the respective countries.
The only change that appears unique is the strategy and tools (camps) that such groups are utilising. In my book, ‘The Puritan Movement: US Universities and their anti-Bharat Approach’, it is explicitly mentioned that the present-day universities in the United States and other parts of the Western nations were either created for the church or by the church, the very Biblical nature of which still exists in the universities.
Encampments at Jamia Millia Islamia and on the streets of Delhi
In December 2019, when the Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed in both houses of parliament, an attempt was made by the students of Jamia Millia Islamia to bring the parliamentary fight to the streets. The student groups led by the Students Islamic Organisation, Campus Front of India, and Fraternity Movement, instigated the public for violence with the help of misinformation. Subsequently, the violence started near Hindu majority areas like NFC, Bharat Nagar, Sarai Jullena, etc., after which the police lathi-charged the students and others who entered the university premises. The protest that started from the university spread to other parts of India, resulting in the blockades of hundreds of streets including the infamous Shaheen Bagh.
Violence without arms to create unrest & civil war
The Left-Islamic groups are using a similar modus operandi in the West to convince the West to repeat the genocide of the Jews and completely wipe them off from every corner of the world. For the same, such groups exert pressure on Western society by physically disallowing normal life to accept the demands of the antisemitic groups. Such a situation, if it persists, may turn into social unrest and civil war, similar to the riots that occurred in Delhi, India, during the visit of former US President Donald Trump in February 2020. The events at Jamia Millia Islamia University during that time could serve as a case study for Western societies facing similar challenges.
Hooliganism or Protest
It is important to recognise these protests as a form of hooliganism fueled by anti-Semitism. The conflict between Hamas and Israel undoubtedly needs resolution, but demanding divestment from Israel is an attempt to terrorise the Jewish students. Such actions are unlikely to contribute to peace and may instead exacerbate the existing tensions.
There is no doubt that the conflict between Hamas and Israel should be resolved, but the demand for divestment from Israel is an attempt to terrorise the Jewish students. Will divestment help these goons stop the war or will it further complicate the conflict?
At Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), during the fee strike protest in 2019, students who did not want to take part in the protests by boycotting the classes and semester examinations were threatened and targeted. In fact, many faculties were not allowed to visit their labs, as the same was blocked by the students belonging to the Communist-led JNUSU.
Role of State Machinery like Police
Universities and other academic institutions are part of the state and not vice versa; hence, it becomes the duty of the state to protect the rights of an individual who wants to continue his or her academic endeavour. Freedom of speech and expression should not violate an individual’s rights; otherwise, the historic battle for freedom would become self-destructive one day.
Also, in the name of academic freedom and freedom of speech, the anti-social elements, in particular, the combination of radical Communist and Islamist forces, should not be allowed to take control of the academic spaces. A student is not only carried by his own ambitions; rather, he is accompanied by the expectations of his parents, who spend a huge chunk of money by cutting their pockets. This is why, to deal with such radical groups who are hell-bent on dismantling the academic sphere, police action becomes necessary.
Way Ahead for the West
Universities have historically fostered creative and revolutionary minds that have shaped new paradigms for the world. While students and scholars have participated in various protests and movements for the greater good and to fight injustice, the current wave of activism appears to be driven by a different agenda, one focused on the concept of the ‘Ummah’.
The synchronisation of radical Islamic and Communist outfits has shown no interest in protesting in the universities of Arabian nations for a ceasefire between Hamas militants and the state of Israel. In fact, many Islamic thinkers based in the Arabian countries are now saying that due to the radicalization in the West, the time will come when the Muslims residing in the West will command us what to do and what not to do. This aligns with Samuel P. Huntington’s theory of a “clash of civilizations” in the 21st century, where cultural and religious identities become central to global conflicts. The sooner we comprehend this idea, the better off the country will be.
The writer is a doctoral candidate at SCNSS, JNU and is a published author of a book titled- The Puritan Movement: US Universities and their anti-Bharat Approach. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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