JNU stir reaches Osmania

Osmania University campus that has been peaceful ever since the split of Andhra Pradesh is again back in the news for the wrong reasons. The Students Federation of India on Saturday took out a rally in support of their Jawaharlal Nehru University counterparts who have tried to make a hero out of Afzal Guru, who was hung for rank treachery. Soon as the SFI students took out the rally, those of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad tried to block them, arguing with them against sedition. There was pushing all round and this caused tension in the area. One JNU student was already held for sedition, even as the BJP-led government vowed to put down sedition with an iron hand. The JNU champion, Sitaram Yechury, who grew up in politics as president of JNU students union during the emergency, has already met with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, asking for the release of the Delhi student charged with sedition. The students, especially research scholars, should debate whether education is for strengthening social fabric or disrupting social fabric. Afzal Guru and Yakub Memon have been tried for masterminding the killing of hundreds of Indians. Do the students want to call a spade a spade? They should make the issue clear to the people who do not have the luxury of university education or getting State funds as research scholars.