JNUSU’s Anti – Modi Campaign Receives Growing Solidarity and Support from common people and intellectuals of Varanasi
AISA led JNUSU is campaigning against the BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi, in his Varanasi constituency. Comrade Om, the JNU AISA Unit Vice President reorts from Varanasi.
Varanasi – Update from Day VIII, 6th May
JNUSU’s Varanasi campaign against communal corporate fascism has completed eight days toady. After rigorous door-to-door campaigning, interacting with thousands of people in Varanasi in last one week – one thing is crystal clear – there is NO Modi Wave in Varanasi (forget about tsunami), as declared by the Sangh brigade and corporate media. The common people in Varanasi is extremely angry against the intimidation and lumpenism of Sangh and ready to answer on 12th May.
Today morning JNUSU team campaigned and distributed pamphlets in Vasundhara Railway Colony, and in the evening in Bajardiha, Sundarpur, Naria and BHU Employees Colony. JNUSU has also demanded that the restoration of Student Union Elections and Campus Democracy in BHU has to become a poll issue.
Together friends, We shall fight, we shall win!
Intimidation of Sangh and corporate backed media can’t stop our voice of resistance against communal fascism!!
Days VI & VII (5th & 6th May)
On days VI and VII, JNUSU continued its determined campaign to expose the corporate backed communal fascism that Modi represents.
Yesterday a convention was held in Banaras celebrating Kabir’s legacy. Several intellectuals, cultural and social activists participated in the event. JNUSU too participated in the event and forcefully put forward its understanding of BJP’s communal politics that now enjoys a tremendous and eager corporate backing, along with exposing the development myth propagated by Modi and his PR agencies.
Today the JNUSU visited Kashi Vidyapeeth University and did extensive class campaigns there. The response of the students was extremely encouraging. In the evening the JNUSU led team visited Chittupur, a locality in Varanasi (near BHU) that has a large student population residing in it. Another rigorous campaign was held in this area which again was met by an enthusiastic response by the residents.
The deflation of Modi balloon appears to be on the way as open resistance to his kind of politics and his supporters can be seen. Baba Ramdev, who continues to be in news with his unending and extremely offensive anti-Dalit and anti-women comments, was to come to Banaras for a pro-Modi campaign. Given his track record of rabble rousing, hate mongering and insensitive comments, his visit was further likely to vitiate the atmosphere in Banaras. However, the news of his intended visit was met with a strong protest by a number of women groups, Dalit groups and JNUSU. In the end, he was forced to cancel the trip under this united pressure.
More power to the voices of resistance against these forces of communal-fascism!!
Varanasi Update – Day V (3rd May)
“Modi Wave” in Corporate Media – Varanasi Prepares to Rebuff Communal Fascism
Today JNUSU team rigorously campaigned and distributed pamphlets in Railway Colony area, Seer Govardhanpur (near Ravidas Temple), adjoining areas of BHU. As media has gone gaga over Modi, “Gujrat Model”, and “Development”, the common people of Varanasi gets ready to rebuff and resist communal fascism. The response to common people to our anti – Modi campaign in last five days is really overwhelming and encouraging.
The common people of Varansi is very disgusted with lumpenism and intimidation unleashed by Sangh brigade. Any utterance of a word against Modi and Sanghi goons will descend on you and not let you speak a single word against Modi in Banaras. The Sanghi Brigade will get more desperate as 12th May comes near, but the common people of Varanasi is ready to fight communal corporate fascism tooth and nail and expose the bluff-master called Narendra Modi.
Finally, thanks a lot to faculty members of BHU and intellectuals of Varanasi who have expressed their solidarity with JNUSU against Sanghi lumpenism.
“Loot, Daman aur Jansanghar…Nahi Chalega Modi sarkar!”,
The Voice of Resistance will emerge stronger and louder!
Day IV (2nd May)
Today morning we started our campaigning in adjoining areas of B.H.U, and we got calls for different media channels who wanted to cover our campaign. Soon several media persons arrived and they instead of asking us any question, randomly picked up 2-3 Modi supporters for interview asking them if JNUSU’s campaign has effects on them. The media shamelessly went all out to show that people of Varanasi is not convinced by our campaign.
While the media circus went on, we rigorously campaigned and distributed pamphlets in Lahartara, Hyderabad Colony, BHU and Police Line areas. The response from the common people of Varanasi to our campaign was really encouraging.
Further, several faculty members of BHU and intellectuals of Varanasi have expressed their solidarity with our campaign and issued a Joint Statement against Sanghi intimidation of JNUSU team day before yesterday.
With all your Solidarity and Support, We shall fight, we shall win!
Day III (1st May)
Intimidation Continues, and Our Campaign Picks Up
Yesterday the JNUSU team was threatened by Sangh brigade at Lanka. After we came back from police station, last night around 1:15, we got a call from police station for recording our statement and asked us in an intimidating tone to immediately come there. We categorically told them that it is not possible for us to go to police station in such a time. Today morning we went to police station around 10. But instead of recording our statement, the police first threatened us to serve legal notice! But because of our continuous pressure, the police was finally forced to lodge FIR against Sanghi lumpens on two solidgro unds – a)threatening the JNUSU team, b) there was no print-line of the pamphlet circulated by Sangh brigade.
Even in this extreme hostile situation, we campaigned and distributed pamphlets in Railway Colony Cantonment in morning and in the second half, in Bhimnagar, Kutchery Chauraha and Police Line Chauraha. The common people there responded really well to our anti – Modi campaign.
Several friends and comrades from JNU communicated us that they are joining in 2 – 3 days. And thanks a lot for your support, calls and well wishes. Whatever the situation of Banaras under saffron terror remains in coming days, we will continue our campaign and fight back communal fascism tooth and nail.
The Undeclared Emergency in Varanasi can’t stop Our Resolute Fight Against Communal Fascism.
Day II, (30th April)
Today morning we started our campaigning in BHU, and the Proctor tried his best to interfere and disrupt our campaigning twice. But the common students of BHU responded very well to our anti – Modi campaign. Around 5:30 in the evening, while we were distributing pamphlets in front BHU gate, at Lanka suddenly sanghi lumpens arrived and tried to create clash. They said they will check our bags and if we don’t go back to Delhi, we will face dire consequences. We went to the police station to lodge FIR, but the intimidation continued even in front of the police. The police, ironically requested us not to campaign for 5 -6 days, as they can’t provide security because most of the force is on election duty!
Any utterance of a word against Modi in Varanasi today and Sanghi goons will descend on you and not let you speak a single word.
But we are not going back anywhere, we will continue our campaign with firmest determination till we expose the communal fascist monster Modi!
Day I, (29th April)
The JNUSU team reached Varanasi today morning. We attended a press conference after reaching and talked about our campaign against the face of corporate-communal fascism- NaMo. It was surprising that it seemed even the media persons are completely unaware of counter-Modi truths and discourse. They appeared surprised when we mentioned Modi’s anti-dalit statements stating it is the divine duty of the Shudras to continue with manual scavangering. The media persons also appeared unaware of the several truths of Gujarat and its development. Now, whether it was a genuine ignorance or a intended veil of ignorance, is surely a matter of debate given the working of Big capital behind media knowledge. But surely, assertion of such facts by our team to the media in Varanasi was necessary, whether or not they publish it.
After the press conference we started a rigorous door to door campaign. While campaigning in Madanpur, where mainly minorities reside, a lumpen gang of BJP appeared and tried to threaten us and create clash. Astonishing is the realisation that if there is so much a Modi wave, what is the fear that drives this Sanghi lumpen gang to create clash with our campaign team in the minority residential area?
While campaigning in the city, we realised what is well-known about Varanasi, the absolute lack of basic infrastructure like road, sanitation etc in the city. it is also important to mention that Varanasi has been having MP from BJP since 1991, except for 2004. The sitting MP is Murli Manohar Joshi from BJP. If ‘development’ is something for which we are asked to forget 2002, then we must ask why this situation in Varanasi? What was BJP’s MPs doing till now?
We hope we will be able to bring these questions to the focus and the masses will expose this bluff master named Narendra Modi on 12th May
Well done comrades, proud of you.
Please stop ranting about the political establishments and do some social work like creating awareness about child trafficking, flesh trade, dowry issues etc.