JNU in a tangle over celebration of Mahishasur day on campus
14 Oct 2013 5:50 AM IST
Despite being served by a notice by the Jawaharlal Nehru University administration and opposition by a right-wing students group, certain students under the banner of All India Backward Student’s Forum (AIBSF) have decided to celebrate Mahishasur Day on 17 October.
Jitendra Yadav, President of AIBSF said, ‘To celebrate the third anniversary this year we have completed all preparations. Our thinking behind the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasur is very different. Certain people celebrate this victory on the day of Vijayadashami, which we condemn. We are planning to observe the ‘martyrdom’ of the demon.’
Yadav added, ‘Our mythological epics are nothing better than stories of Alif-Laila and Arabian Nights. As followers of Anti-Matawadis, we have started a program in JNU to remember Mahishasur’s killing, who was a Dravidian hero to a few aboriginal tribes in India. We will celebrate ‘Mahishasur shahadat diwas’ (Mahishasur sacrifice day).’
Birendra Kumar, convener of the organising committee said, ‘This year, Mahishasura is being celebrated in 60 places around the country. The organisation of Vijayadashami is as a national disgrace because it is a celebration of the killing of our ancestors.’
Yadav said, ‘Last year, followers approximately put up 35 to 40 big posters across JNU campus, highlighting that asurs, who are considered to be demons in Indian mythology, are still a tribe in Jharkhand. The posters also carried an interview with former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren, who says that he is proud to be an asur.
‘Last years, some students tore these posters in front of the library and at the KC market complex. We’ve blamed it on Hindutva politics. JNU is free-thinking campus and we won’t tolerate such incidents this time. The JNU administration had served a notice to me last year as other student groups had claimed that I had hurt their religious sentiments.’
Arun Kumar, National coordinator of AIBSF said, ‘Students from Lucknow University and Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Bihar, joined them last year. Mahishasur was the ancestor for tribals, dalits and other backward communities in the country, who was killed by Aryans with the help of the goddess. We want to launch a campaign against Dussehra, claiming that it amounts to celebrating our ancestors’ death.’
Jitendra Yadav, President of AIBSF said, ‘To celebrate the third anniversary this year we have completed all preparations. Our thinking behind the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasur is very different. Certain people celebrate this victory on the day of Vijayadashami, which we condemn. We are planning to observe the ‘martyrdom’ of the demon.’
Yadav added, ‘Our mythological epics are nothing better than stories of Alif-Laila and Arabian Nights. As followers of Anti-Matawadis, we have started a program in JNU to remember Mahishasur’s killing, who was a Dravidian hero to a few aboriginal tribes in India. We will celebrate ‘Mahishasur shahadat diwas’ (Mahishasur sacrifice day).’
Birendra Kumar, convener of the organising committee said, ‘This year, Mahishasura is being celebrated in 60 places around the country. The organisation of Vijayadashami is as a national disgrace because it is a celebration of the killing of our ancestors.’
Yadav said, ‘Last year, followers approximately put up 35 to 40 big posters across JNU campus, highlighting that asurs, who are considered to be demons in Indian mythology, are still a tribe in Jharkhand. The posters also carried an interview with former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren, who says that he is proud to be an asur.
‘Last years, some students tore these posters in front of the library and at the KC market complex. We’ve blamed it on Hindutva politics. JNU is free-thinking campus and we won’t tolerate such incidents this time. The JNU administration had served a notice to me last year as other student groups had claimed that I had hurt their religious sentiments.’
Arun Kumar, National coordinator of AIBSF said, ‘Students from Lucknow University and Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Bihar, joined them last year. Mahishasur was the ancestor for tribals, dalits and other backward communities in the country, who was killed by Aryans with the help of the goddess. We want to launch a campaign against Dussehra, claiming that it amounts to celebrating our ancestors’ death.’
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