Democratic Students' Union: Rally Against War on People, 17th December 2009, New Delhi

December 26, 2009

Rally Against War on People, 17th December 2009, New Delhi

LS Speaker Faces Protest Over Nandigram Issue.

OUTLOOK INDIA| New Delhi, 14 Nov. (PTI: ) Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee was today shown black flags and faced anti-CPI(M) slogans by a group odf students on the Nandigram issue at a function in the capital. Students belonging to Leftist organisation ‘Democratic Students Union’ waved black flags and raised anti- CPI(M) slogans when Chatterjee arrived at Jawaharlal Nehru University for delivering a lecture on the occasion of birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru. As Chatterjee, during his lecture, asked students to join politics, students began sloganeering against the “CPI(M) atrocities” in Nandigram. Delivering his lecture, Chatterjee disassociated himself with the developments in Nandigram. “...Some of my friends are protesting against something, with which I am not associated.”

The protesting students demanded action against the people involved in the Nandigram violence. “We condemn and denounce violence in Nandigram by CPI(M) cadre. It is ironical that on the one hand they say that they are for peasants but are killing them,” alleged DSU executive member Ritupan. The protesters carried placards saying “Hamara Gram, Tumhara Gram, Nandigram Nandigram”, reminiscent of the communist slogan of “Mera Naam Tera Naam, Vietnam Vietnam” of the 1970s. They also shouted slogans “Somnath Chatterjee sharam karo” and “Nandigram hathyaare jawab do”. The protest was organised by pro-Naxal Democratic Students Union.

Nandigram Black Daze Reach JNU Corridors, Speaker Faces the Wrath!

Expressindia » Story

RICHA BHATIA

Thursday , November 15, 2007 at 12:00:00

New Delhi, November 14: Cries of “killer CPI(M) down, down, Somnath go back”, rocked Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on its Founder’s day. While chief guest Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee talked on the issue of Parliamentary democracy in India, students protested against the Nandigram massacre wearing black armbands.

Around 20 members of Democratic Students’ Union (DSU) and five other non-party members condemned the state-sponsored violence in Nandigram, outside the auditorium holding placards and shouting slogans. “The CPI(M) is behaving like an autocratic leader without talking into account farmers’ rights,” said Surohi Nandan, a first year PhD student.

“The massacre is on the scale of Godhra, making Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee the Modi of Bengal and I would like to ask the Speaker why he as a CPI(M) leader has not taken any stand on the issue,” said DSU member Banojyotsna Lahiri, a second-year MPhil student.

However, the function continued despite the protests. The Speaker, hailing India as having the biggest talent pool in the world, said, “Excellence should not be achieved by trampling on individual’s creative spirit and freedom.” Urging the youth to take up responsibility of removing aberrations and imperfections in the political structure, Chatterjee exhorted them to come forward and contribute rather than being mere beneficiaries.

“After six decades we are still asked about the workability of our democratic structure which is very sad,” he said. Towards the end of his lecture, Chatterjee acknowledged the protest saying, “Some friends will be dissenting on some issue which is justified if they wish to enter Parliament.”