Lamenting the recent clashes at Ramjas College and politicisation of the events, senior Congress leader Janardan Dwivedi today said students movements these days were "pre-planned" and not "self-inspired".
Expressing concern over deteriorating atmosphere on campuses across the country, he said it was not just the question of freedom of expression but more serious issue was the future of the coming generations.
"Today, the atmosphere in educational institutions in the country is being vitiated in the same manner as that in the society, which is being divided on caste and communal lines...
"It is not the question of only freedom of expression. It is also the question of academic atmosphere in educational institutions and the future of our coming generations as well as the larger interests of the nation that need to be kept in mind," he said.
The AICC general secretary said these days issues were raked up for political gains.
"These days issues are not raised to solve problems. They are now first planned and then executed. Movements no longer are self-inspired. Now, a conspiracy is first hatched to rake up an issue and plans are prepared beforehand for politicisation of the issue. This leads to confrontation.
"Nobody is against the freedom of expression. However, every political party will have to take responsibility for standing in favour or against issue of freedom of expression and then politicising it and creating an atmosphere of communalism and casteism," he said.
Dwivedi said students should be left alone to study and gain wisdom instead of imposing views and ideologies on them.
Dwivedi said earlier parties would think before venturing into students movements, but now every party has a students wing and everything was decided beforehand.
The Congress leader, a former socialist, cited the example of Jawaharlal Nehru who exhorted students to focus on academics when asked by a student in Allahabad University on what should be a student's priorities.
"Nehru told us that it is 'study, study and study' while quoting Lenin," Dwivedi said.
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