Student Struggle Editorial – January 2025
Adarsh M Saji
Adieu, Comrade Sitaram Yechury
The Editorial Board of Student Struggle magazine offers its deepest condolences on the passing of Comrade Sitaram, our esteemed former editor and the longest-serving editor (1980 to 1986) of this journal. His life, dedication, and immense contribution to the student movement and the toiling masses of our country will forever be etched in our hearts.
Sitaram Yechury’s public life began as a dynamic and passionate leader, tirelessly organizing the student movement. He was elected president of the JNU Students’ Union three times, a testament to his leadership and vision. In 1984, he was chosen as the president of the SFI at its 5th All India Conference in Dumdum, and he continued to serve until the 6th All India Conference in Vijayawada in 1986.
One of the most defining moments of his leadership was the student-led struggle against the Emergency of 1975, which forced Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to step down as Chancellor of JNU. This struggle remains one of the most heroic chapters in the history of the student movement in India.
Throughout his life, Sitaram stood unwaveringly at the forefront of the fight for democracy and secularism. He played an instrumental role in uniting the democratic, secular forces of the nation, advocating tirelessly for the protection of India’s Constitution.
Student Struggle Magazine will always keep you with us in every struggle and you will keep inspiring us and many more upcoming generations of activists.
Sitaram Yechury
Amar Rahe..
Editorial
The draft UGC Regulations, 2025, released by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, further centralize,communalize and corporatize our campuses. It increases Governors’ power in selecting Vice-Chancellors and introduces industry experts for the role, moving away from academic professionals. This could lower faculty quality by prioritizing subjective selection over qualifications, research, and experience. The draft also ignores reservations for teaching posts. We reject this draft and urge the academic community to unite in defending higher education.
The gruesome rape and murder of the trainee doctor in RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata has witnessed country-wide protests.
Even as the outrage against the Kolkata rape case rages on, a nurse returning home from work was raped and killed near Uttarakhand-UP border. A 15-year-old girl belonging to the Dalit community was raped and murdered in Muzaffarpur of Bihar. We see that victim-blaming and protecting the accused is becoming the norm, as was done by TMC in the RG Kar case. While the country rages on, the fight is going beyond a single case.
From Unnao, Kathua, Hathras rape incidents and the administration’s complicity in covering up these cases, to women wrestlers fighting against sexual harassment, or women workers fighting for safe workspaces, rape culture is being cultivated with impunity under the Modi-led BJP regime. Asaram Bapu and Ram Rahim, who are convicted for sexual crimes, being released on parole to suit the requirements of elections, the BJP has been complicit in protecting perpetrators of sexual violence. We shall fight until justice is met and we achieve fearless freedom for all!
On August 19, 2024, the TISS administration under the BJP government banned a student organisation PSF, labeling it “unauthorized and illegal”. This was an attempt of silencing students who criticize the BJP govt. and their policies. This marked a shift from previous actions, where student organizations were derecognized rather than banned. The move followed the suspension of Ramadas, an SFI CEC member, for participating in a protest in January. The ban, issued at the start of the academic year, hindered outreach to new students.
The PSF ban faced opposition, with mass solidarity building from other student, teacher, and class organizations. Persistent mobilisations and pressure, including involving the chancellor and education minister, led to the ban being lifted, along with revisions to the honor code. This was an historic victory for the struggle for democracy in campus.
SFI celebrated its 55th foundation day, marking 54 years of study and struggle. Over these years, the organization has become one of the strongest student organisation in India, leading significant movements to resist the commercialization, centralization, and communalization of education. Today, we witness major victories for SFI in several central and state universities and colleges across India.
In institutions like JNU,Kerala Central University and Hyderabad Central University, SFI has secured impressive victories. For the first time, SFI won the student union elections at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Telangana. In Pondicherry University, SFI achieved a remarkable result, securing more than a majority of the seats in the first phase and winning all seats in the second phase. SFI also made history by contesting the Community College of Pondicherry, winning all 8 seats on the campus. In Delhi University, SFI saw a significant increase in its vote share and also won the Delhi University ICC elections (PhD).
These victories indicate that the student community is increasingly responding to the slogans raised by SFI. Furthermore, SFI’s ongoing campaigns to protect school education in India have highlighted the real challenges facing the sector.
Revolutionary greetings to all our comrades for your tireless work for our election victories and your struggles.
Let’s keep the white flag and red star flying high.
Inquilab Zindabad!