Vermula, Upkaa Vermula, Keywords soundtracks. like culture popular oftors Indian denomina to common resorted alike faculty and students JNU visible, plea their to make tools the Among subject. Indian (read terrorist) anti-national an on being dispute national a sparked and , in of powers division to curb putprison resistance into motion the from release His Kumar. K. leader of student arrest the after especially for dissent, zero ground however, became JNU, It that was over India. all centres educational swept protests Vermula Hyderahabad, Rohith in student postgraduate of Dalit suicide of the wake the In Abstract Palabras Bollywood. de canciones las como popular, cultura a elementos la de recurrieron los estudiantes causa, su visibles hacer para instrumentos otros Entre terrorista). (léase anti-patriótica identidad torno en ala controversia una ydesencadenó India en poderes de división la de defensa en movimiento un marcha en puso arresto su de suspensión La Kumar. Kanhaiya estudiantil líder del arresto el epicentro, sobre el tras en todo convirtió se en Nehru Universidad la ellas, todas De . universidades por muchas extendieron se Vermula Rohith Hyderahabad en intocable estudiante del suicidio por el protestas Las Resumen Vermula. Revista Canaria de Estudios Ingleses Estudios de Canaria Revista

clave : Anti-national Indian, Kanhaiya Kumar, JNU student protests, protests, student JNU Kumar, Kanhaiya Indian, : Anti-national . : Anti-patriotismo, JNU, Kanhaiya Kumar, Protestas estudiantiles, Rohit Rohit estudiantiles, Protestas Kumar, Kanhaiya JNU, : Anti-patriotismo, SONG, PROTEST, UNIVERSITY, THE Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta Sciences, Social in for Studies Centre AND THE NATION: DELHI, 2016 NATION: DELHI, THE AND DOI: https://doi.org/10.25145/j.recaesin.2018.76.14DOI: Rosinka Chaudhuri Rosinka , 76; April 2018, pp. 197-210;, 76; April e-2530-8335 ISSN:

Upkaa , Rohit , Rohit -

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 76; 2018, PP. 197-210 197 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 76; 2018, PP. 197-210 198 arrest on sedition charge.’ arrest Kumar’s over Kanhaiya strike University (JNU) Nehru at Jawaharlal students as , to say, in ungrammatical English: , to say,1967 ungrammatical in film Hindi song patriotic from the undoubtedly cheesy and a popular invoking Pratibha Rani any anti-national activity.” he would not that “participate in undertaking bond an and on a 10,000bail rupee court decided that sedition charges could not just be levelled against anyone critical of the nation. of the critical anyone against levelled be not just could charges sedition that decided court 2 came to be vilified as ‘anti-national’ by the governing dispensation. thegoverning by as ‘anti-national’ to vilified be came to protest and ‘intolerance’ prizes and awards returned had activists and writers of intellectuals, aswathe as this, sphere national preceding the in turmoil created months already 2016.ofsix first the had way in curious nationalism of Definitions protest notion later,in the students by to the inform a of nation-state in the came either when invoked judge by or judgement. the singing, the when sung and Songs the words who of the interestedin following were few that puzzled song of afilm in terms figured been nation had the which in manner the it was that, than rather it, of to even demand ajudge. So incorrect it today politically deemed deed be may the 15 the of aGuardian student headline leader’s the was after arrest” university prior to 2016. existed doubtproduced —I entry the “Protests to continue at Indian student post-Independence leader ever most famous the has India nowis arguably [‘early life’?], ‘2016 Controversy’, Sedition Ph.D. young on etc. this student who Political Career’ supply and Life along you ‘Early titled with entry, sections with court to which he had been brought for his hearing on 15 brought been hearing he for to had which his court Delhi at the parliamentarian Party) Janata led by aBJPgroup (Bhatatiya of lawyers by a attacked was Kumar after country the across screens form on TV took visual Hindutva opposition for his to rightwing victimized being theirtheson was that University. stated parents His paralysing effectively arrest, over went Kumar’s Students on at JNU strike academics. and students teachers, from opposition reactions parties, sharp drawn has controversy and jor political nd March, Kumar was granted interim bail by the Delhi High Court, conditional conditional Court, High Delhi by the bail interim granted was Kumar March, th of February 2016, as it went on to report: ‘Thousands rally across India 2016,India across of February rally it went as on ‘Thousands to report: of Delhi 2016)of Delhi Court university.(High national this of affairs the managing those and members faculty by students, its answered to be needs of Delhi, heart the in situated (JNU) University Nehru Jawaharlal prestigious the eluding is of peace colour why the spring, This colours. all in flower blooms and green becomes nature when a time is season Spring and lovefor motherland. colours by different representing teristics The 23-page judgment of the Delhi High Court Order began with Justice with Justice Orderbegan Court High thejudgment Delhi The 23-page of 1 in and India, in of English use to the essential never been has Grammar from Upkaar song patriotic This will on internet, Wikipedia the Kumar youIf Kanhaiya look name up the

The Supreme Court’s latest order on the issue of sedition should be noted in a caveat: the caveat: in a be noted should sedition of issue the on order latest Court’s Supreme The 1 Kanhaiya Kumar’s arrest soon snowballed into a ma soon snowballed Kumar’s arrest Kanhaiya by lyricist Indeevar symbolizes individual charac individual symbolizes Indeevar by lyricist politics; a charge that that acharge politics; th February 2016. February On article on article - - - had time in jail to introspect on the events that took place in JNU on 9 JNU took in place on that events to the introspect jail in time had had Kumar Kanhaiya hoped that judgement, the Concluding Rani Justice adds. only treatment,” amputation the is it gangrene, it becomes that extent to the limb the infecting in However, intervention results also. infection the if surgical require not does it work, of may that Sometimes asecond line treatment. byif following and antibiotics orally giving by thesame cure made to is alimb, effort spread in is controlled /cured epidemic,” before it an becomes some infection “Whenever it said. be to needs which suffering are students such from which of infection akind as this expression. Iconsider and to of freedom right speech fundamental protectedbe as to claimed be cannot programme that in participated and who organized of JNU by raised studentssome the of the in slogans thoughts reflected “The infection. bodily a as JNU in slogans of anti-national use the saw judgement, the song also in which (Vij 2016). More followed invocation of the metaphors the more and nationalism of value nationalism” the to emphasise seek —metaphors that Kumar Kanhaiya students’ president union to JNU judgement bail gave that Court High Delhi the Huffington Post Huffington commented the Dharti”’, in With Judgement “Mere Ki Bail Desh Begins ‘Kanhaiya’s titled Vij, article an in Bollyood’. and antibiotics of Shivam infection, ‘Judge bail’, gets speaks ‘Kanhaiya him. song up with the to sing standing entire hall the in reports, to news according resulted, which him, with he brought ‘dafli’ rather different song, which came to be known then as the as then known be to came which song, different rather conclude and a went it aspeech by on singing to make Kumar on bail, released of soil my the dharti ki country. desh Mere pearls, and diamonds haan Tagore, Subhash, phool ya ke hain /Gandhi, chaman Tilak /Aise phool yahaan ke TagoreSubhash, ( Tilak and bloomed on which flowersGandhi, the Nanak and Buddha by the made of peace metaphor while granting him bail. him metaphor granting while medical the of with method treatment,”to provide staying conservative she said, inclined am at present I themainstream, Therefore,in “toto remain him enable Sadan on September 8 Sadan Mahajati at the Calcutta in venues, song of at most the recently many all sung has himself promptingreceived, well herKanhaiya to andrecordwas it. at Thrissur held Sangamam” Trichur, first the presented at “Manushya Thesong was Kerala, at byproud’. Pushpavathy sung version and composed another was Meanwhile anti-national every make will dubstep Kanhaiya words: the ‘This net with the on producer, composer and advertised is which aChandigarh-based as described on internet, producing the version a rap went Dub Sharma, by viral someone called ). The famous refrain spoke of ‘the soil of my country that spews gold, spews gold, spews spews that spoke of soil of ).country ‘the my refrain famous The At the time the judgement was delivered, the ticker tape on NDTV 24×7 on tape NDTV judgement ticker the delivered, the ran: time the At was The film song the judge mentioned had compared the country to a garden toa the country the film song mentioned judge The had compared th , accompanied this time with the beat of a traditional of beat atraditional the with time this , accompanied Ye baag hain Gautam Nanak ka / Khilte hain aman hain aman Ye Nanak /Khilte ka hain Gautam baag I on 2 on nd March: ‘Metaphors March: in abound azadi

song. This then song. This ’. After being ’. being After th February. February. -

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 76; 2018, PP. 197-210 199 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 76; 2018, PP. 197-210 200 the Indian people over that of the Indian state Indian of the that over people Indian the of welfare the about was nationalism Kumar, Kanhaiya Vemula Rohith and both For up: summed whose subheading Anti-National?’ An Is ‘Who titled article wrote an Hindu for The columnist respected students, of JNU the arrests the (mybegan: nationalists italics). of goonda article eyes Thein the have to share his politics to find pleasure in his language’, language’, it wenthis in on say,to to find politics pleasure his haveadding: to share Express Indian go to the speech, we need to revisit the context. the we to need revisit speech, togo the absolutely it But was mesmerising. India, before in we channel news every almost by broadcast being it was as screens it on live who TV of our for witnessed us those hour long, yet an more than was Delhi, in night on March acool toclose midnight born post-Independence. of Indians delivered experience The speech, political the moment exceptional undoubtedly in an it understood; was ordinarily is that as life not heaven the of college ‘protest paper. the certainly poetry’, later in Yet was this of ‘pure’, the category up the here take before used also Iwill Left; from the edly ‘much most avow responded desiring to man more’ those a young even capitalism not from freedom seeking was most famously, he he said, which that during campus JNU the in amphitheatre open to ahuge air crowd aspeech an gave in Kumar 2016,on 3March Kanhaiya said it would try and fix the problem. Hindu fix and in The it wouldsaid Writing try it blamed on and Google a bug Delhi; in Campus site to the of JNU the straightaway path 2016)path it. (Sam against betting to be seems dispensation Well, ruling the anti-nationals? of witch-hunting old game tired for the it save falling from else— nothing if levels, intelligence —of diversity India’s Can famed “nationalists”? persecutors, thuggish their and “anti-nationals” are universities of one of best students its brightest the that into believing anation fool really anchors TV of hysterical abunch Can underlineis to how course, of report, particular Thepoint this of quoting 2016). (Varadarajan life. of college heaven the was This sedition. was not This him. behind flag Indian the waved man young another while, the All views. for his him jail would who to those delivered he up-yours verbal the and occasion; of the humour cutting the of rhetoric; feats in essential so pauses, pregnant the crowd; idealistic and avid the with sawaal-jawaab his delivery; of Kanhaiya’s theatre the fully it, to not appreciate read speech, the to hear One needs rasmalai. apolitical as —Hindi declaimed it be should as Hindi ajoy... is that is This language Hindi over the amastery and gift, rhetorical serious a with man ayoung Here is endearing. fervour revolutionary his Ifound yet it; and much more of Iwant fact, —in don’t capitalism” from “freedom want I certainly alot release upon had of and indeed, his he itTime had, to jail, introspect in If you typed ‘anti-national’ into Google Maps in March 2016, March in into Maps Google ‘anti-national’ you were you taken If typed II. WHO IS AN ‘ANTI NATIONAL’ AND WHO SAYS SO? SAYS WHO NATIONAL’ ‘ANTI AND AN IS WHO II. a couple of days later called it ‘purea couple protest-poetry’.later called of days ‘One doesn’t within but India within freedom - This political vision made them threats threats them made politicalvision This India. A journalist in the the in Ajournalist India. on 17 on th February after after February , G. Sampath, Sampath, , G. - - blaming nobody,blaming saying: disenchantment, where and he spoke newspapers, ofreprinted stardust many in for much of 2015. suicide note, he his me wrote in quote lines Let well-known the news the dominated debate that nationalism the as well at as JNU, disturbances the of Hyderabad Vemula, student, Rohith University Dalit case preceded the which then, we to need understand news the dominated that nationalism and anti-nationals Parishad the at off Vidyarthi Hyderabad Akhil Bharatiya by crisis sparked University been had world. the and The India across at universities of course and Council, Rights Human in UN its awhole.thebrought was up at as issue The31st thesessionfor Dalits the of for therefore Rohith, but not demanded was only justice of suicide— the aftermath the in raised day. slogan continues —the tonation this which ‘Justice for Rohith’ continuationthe discrimi of toof a have suffered history and long be, may father a vocal critic of the ABVP and its violent and majoritarianism’. critic of ABVP the Hea vocal continued: suicide of Vemula, the Rohith with headlines national ABVP, hit the story the and by the targeted students the against apliable acted police and vice-chancellor pliant to miss’. words, ‘too ‘a Hyderabad, his In in striking Delhi in Hyderabad then and in first unfolding eventsthe in the topattern found fight.) Sampath unwilling was to to York head New invitation academic to the an with he if fascist than ian’ rather as ‘authoritar Modi Karat’s attempt to reconfigure he responded recently to Prakash that explicit, and Fascism of with connection Modi the made had speech Kanhaiya’s (We that know essays. four in to India framework the duction, extends then and introshortin a in theEurope emergence of Fascism traces Thebook Collective. 2016 Essays January in Three India by and the on India Europe in Essays Fascism: Mass Movement who sent acomplaint Centre. to the Dattatreya, Bandaru Parliament, up by aBJP Member taken “anti-national”. of them was tion by branding Its case To understand the context of Kanhaiya Kumar’s speech, and the issue of issue the Kumar’s and speech, To ofcontext the Kanhaiya understand legal luminaries. The ABVP spearheaded the persecution of the students involved students the of persecution the spearheaded ABVP The luminaries. legal by several questioned been has execution whose Guru, of Afzal support in meeting aprotest organising by of agroup students [too], sparked was JNU In crisis the his of caste the whatever have bornDalit, a to been accident was fatal That (Vermula 2016) accident. my fatal is My birth curse. is itself life some for people, them, while, the All alife. to start Desperate rushing. was always urgency. no But I was There death. life, love, pain, world. understanding In the ing understand in while, the all wrong, Iwas Maybe sense. to make Ifail meForgive if letter. final time ofa first My time. first for the of letter kind [...] this writing Iam living. and dying in and politics, in streets, in studies, in field, every In up of stardust. made thing glorious ity. To a As amind. avote. To as treated aman anumber. To was Never athing. possibil and nearest identity immediate his to reduced was man of a value The Sampath invoked the German historian Arthur Rosenberg’s a as Fascism Arthur historian invoked German the Sampath (ABVP) spearheading the persecution of the Ambedkar Students’ Associa of Ambedkar persecution the the spearheading (ABVP) (1934)as been published had translation English whose first-ever ------

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 76; 2018, PP. 197-210 201 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 76; 2018, PP. 197-210 202 allows them to do them so.’allows andthe to motives government of a question that nationalism, of certificates issue goonda what ask qualifies and to on go offensive, is the media, social on that wentviral speech showed in a brilliant Mr.as Kumar response, correct ‘The Hindu The to prove one anti-national’ not is that an by trying charge the to University,answer onethe lost if seeks already is ‘the battle outHistory relation to in her Alternative An book, The Hindus: Wendy to them, as toor synonymous nation, be seem the which found Doniger theof eithername Hinduism in acting Indians always are who offended party, the is proven being of by simply‘anti-national’ charge The being stated cases. such in record government power track in doesn’t aCongress have abetter thus necessarily offendedparties, some now. time against Governments to act reluctant have been groups for by vigilante used been it, violence has who displeases anybody persecute then and to label right the again and long upon Taking time for time. itself avery India in been operational has troopersstorm by such individuals offending against terms of expulsion and banishment for the dispossessed that are expelled are that for dispossessed the banishment and of expulsion terms in figured is unbind’.unbinding does and This can what clearly “binds,” it also is version of nation forcibly, the a certain not if but powerfully’, what ‘the is if state of nation, the ‘conjuring name the in For she binds, says, unbound. state the as well as state by the hyphen the nation binds to state— as who bound —just have been of nation the citizens are these that at Hyderabad in JNU, and dispensation Dalit or of Left theposition students theon occupied many of protesting by conflicted to underlie the also basically seems that aconundrum she outlines seekers, asylum prisoners/ political upon refugees/ state’. by the primarily dispossessed Reflecting and to ‘at be on it what of discussion, means once the contained start at the ruminates, publishers who sings titled the nation-state? Seagull out Calcutta-based by the tary. This is not bare life, but a particular formation of power and coercion that that coercion and power of formation butparticular a life, is notbare This tary. mili of the prerogative the become functions juridical which in power military of situation adense in deposited we are Rather, ways. such in dispossessed we are We when not outside of politics containment. are of mode acertain the so, in and, prisons and upon barriers depends of that power exercise an through ... precisely he doesn’tWhat point of action punitive out, system however, this that is 2016) (Sampath anism. violent its majoritari and ABVP of the critic avocal Kumar, president Kanhaiya union students’ of JNU arrest the with headlines national the hit story the and ABVP, by the targeted students the against acted police apliable and chancellor vice- The outcome: a pliant lodged. being FIR to an led complaint whose Girri, up by aBJP MP, taken Maheish was “anti-national”. case Its as them by branding In a 2007 conversation between Judith Butler and Gayatri Spivak brought Spivak Judith Gayatri Butler conversation and a2007 between In III. WHO SINGS THE NATION-STATE? THE SINGS WHO III. went on to say, concluding: . In the context of context the . In nationalists to nationalists Butler Butler by by - - groups branded ‘anti-national’ by a regime in power. Expulsions, incarcerations, and and power. in incarcerations, by aregime ‘anti-national’ groups branded Expulsions, student certain dispossess and to displace instances, two these in used, been power has control under the of power, state always Studenttoday? are that populations and but of context it how the stateless, student in movements we may re-ask India in to the relation question to in the refugees, Butler suspended? asks and withdrawn refugee. the terrorist, the Palestinian, other —the dispossessed the deployed against usually methods through country of students young the government elected power against exercising democratically power, notself-appointed was butmilitary a This populations. of dispossessed into them aversion turning citizens, its own worked against containment’ that of modes prisons, ‘a and certain on intervention, state barriers, heavily police, the depended of power exercise that by an terrorized themselves saw others and tacharya Bhat Anirban Khalid, Umar Kumar, Kanhaiya year, like students this India In (16). illegally” laboring and or enslaved, residing incarcerated, whofor are those clear seems as state, the “stateless within who are those populations, dispossessed internally- concerned with but context, addition, in she also is this in Gaza and Butler belonging. of mentions modes its national stipulated and state Guantanamo power of the military and juridical the vis-a-vis mode of non-belonging such’ as the characterize that dispositions set of by defined non-belongingcertain is ‘a that other mode this groups toof fit seem their and Kanhaiya ter. and Rohith Both that characterize the mode of the non-belonging such.’ as (6) characterize that of set dispositions or rubric of citizen, by under the acertain the belonging national andof modes power stipulated its military and by defined is its juridical one arrives where is at we which at? ‘Butdo state not the whether know this arrived state the characterises —what state’ another aborder in and... through arrives ‘passes refugee nation The to state. about hyphen when of the linking we a state ask mind’)’ be all, on ‘state’, nation. Punning the on we’restate Butler reflects ‘the after in could, (which of name the in citizens rights-bearing its own against acting state the is this that is 2016 March in irony Delhi situation in of scene to Butler the the compared outlines formation of power coercion’. and ‘a particular attempted through immense The containmentwas and thestateless, as as theto students produceso acted Thestate prisons. and —barriers means same by the achieved was produces statelessness that but of exercise power the military, the prerogativethe of government the than rather homogenousbecomes to force comply of state. the the with in essay an in life’ political and or for founds “enstates” social possibility anew that speech, forperformative ‘speech presentArendtthe time’.makes case Thestrong in statelessness through for ‘thinking here— not discuss tioned, we but will that The Origins nationof the Origins toThe prescient statelessness: is referring in Totalitarianism What are the acts of sovereignty by which constitutional protections are protections are of constitutional by sovereignty which acts the are What In the University contexts of the protesting students, it students, lat would the of protesting be University the the contexts In became functions juridical India, in of student current the unrest case the In 4-5) Spivak and (Butler dispossessed. of the state, condition, the the maintain and to produce designed is Butler turns to Arendt rather than Agamben —a move that has been ques been move has that —a Agamben than to rather Arendt Butler turns - - -

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 76; 2018, PP. 197-210 203 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 76; 2018, PP. 197-210 204 commitments have become obsolete’.commitments He says: the old ofthe‘Europe how Limits’, ‘old at the old the resistances, speaks conflicts, titled other essay spheres in of worldwide. an politics in Balibar, Etienne parallels representation. appropriation symbolic legal and nation through the claim then anti-national protestors branded the second, who and are stateless; the as Twofreedom. children the state produces own evidentits here: seem first, paradoxes to movements, rhetorical of important acall acts, performative of declaration, acts as mode to understood of be the alongside on non-belonging needs belonging that claim paradoxical a make gestures important These constitution. the in belief of their affirmations and flag, sheer of rhetoric, national the conspicuous the waving through rights their representation claim and of legal avail on other hand, students, the the operations of power’, state military and juridical [is] by the restricted and contained person to produced students be exclude ‘as astateless those and to contain tries state the While rights. their rights, of guaranteed of power asymbolization state toward machinations constitution from the the wrest and try they as even stateless, the as a complex forcible and of power’ domain (10-11).then are produced Thestudents reiterated, monitored and ‘actively been by produced, maintained, has that lessness students state power to a of agitating the and strip to used reduce have been fines Butler recounts: Butler incident of context anthem’ the an that in national question: the ‘whothe sings exclusion antagonism)’ (170).of (such religious mutual as source another and longer history have afar which dimensions foreto the symbolic to ‘bring seem opposed ideologically to them those ment’s against discriminations govern theIndian so in Europe, As theirfrom avoiceown. in different who speak studentof by populations protests own its effects destabilizing the against recourse a as culture”’ its “dominant nation and ideal to an ments return the who advocate governmentof govern to ‘the prototype have of become the sort seems demagogic Indian the from Europe former in colonies. But aunique twist, in settled those heterogeneous non-European and other’ found within divided ‘increasingly the today, Europe in exist wherein he means as such post-national societies ries’ within The first paradox of the state producing its own children as the stateless has stateless the as children stateparadox own the itsproducing of first The Song enters Butler and Spivak’s discourse in who sings in the nation state Song enters Spivak’s Butler discourse and introduced the interesting problem of the plurality problem plurality of the interesting the himno” introduced of “nuestro emergence The anthem. the Mexican was as in Spanish sung was anthem national The US area. Angeles Los the in dramatically but very cities, California out various in broke residents of illegal part on the demonstrations street of 2006, spring the In here to ‘excluded refer to uses the catego Balibar term the is aliens’ ‘Internal 171) by (Balibar history. formed groups separated to antithetic assigned be could oppressed and of oppressors positions the which in emancipation, of simple programme to any obstacles rection’, formidable sense) and broad the in ‘insur to call (what like Iwould innovation civic and of intelligibility resources new time same atthe adding pattern, uncertain politically much more and complex for a make supplemented which become have by others they Isubmit that Rather, through - - - - - Leninist) and a former joint secretary of the JNU Students’ Union of JNU the said: aformer and joint secretary Leninist) Kavita Krishnan, Kavita of recent light events, the in recommendations these Reading activism. on campus to recommend restrictions pages took educationup on policy new report several the Spanish anthem, ‘the assertion of equality’ and ‘the of and exercise freedom’. of equality’ ‘the anthem, assertion SheSpanish says: the in Butler finds things two same the we witness for which in freedom called that but course, song a of language, a different in sung being was that anthem national the for anon-nationalist or not counter-nationalist it JNU, In mode was of belonging?’ ‘what makes today: country the in students Left and ofpolitics protest Dalit among azadi we were if and for to relate relevant it us is speech to Kanhaiya’s whenasks The invited you by longquestion Butler Butler like’ to as say anything.) on’ ‘carry or quote—: you ‘but —I have more, with no?’ orterjecting ‘go on for as Following the events on the JNU campus, the TSR Subramanian panel’s TSR the Subramanian campus, on events JNU the the Following mode of belonging? (27) ofmode belonging? or counter-nationalist for anon-nationalist makes what question: the were to ask we If belong? “our”: the anthem “we” and of nation, the of the this to whom does movements. (Krishnan 2016) (Krishnan movements. the of victims as fact, in basis no with is projected, majority” “silent a fictitious while a“distraction” movements as student such by branding sent on campuses dis of delegitimising agenda its with well sits then, report, panel Subramanian The speech. hate nurtured it has as even dissent, and speech to free hostility of secret its no made has government Party Janata “nationalist”. The Bharatiya deemed is on students, fundamentalism Hindu and patriarchy casteism, poses im violently which Parishad, Vidyarthi Bharatiya Akhil the “casteist”, while as Circle Study Ambedkar-Periyar and Vemula a part— Rohith was which —of Association Student Ambedkar to chosen brand had day the government The of (62) demanded. is recognition by which law the of defiance in precisely and nonetheless made is claim... the to make which in sure, be to politics, performative certain prohibitedis a by law. it explicitly is This where and when precisely of assembly freedom enacting street, the restaging as also but things— those clearly, it both is, —though for enfranchisement longing the or of freedom expression the not as only understood be can song the point, this At “public.”... the called is what and song between relationship the sphere, and political the within articulation aesthetic of democracy, of sensate ideas certain involve rethinking to do so. It also would we need language the to develop yet we have that and of singing, act particular this quite theorize can nor Arendt neither Agamben to you that to suggest I want in mostly text, this in to speak achance (Gayatri, gets barely unusually,

politburo member of the (Marxist- of India Party politburo member of Communist the IV. THE UTOPIA OF PURE POLITICS OF PURE IV. UTOPIA THE song and the the song and - - -

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 76; 2018, PP. 197-210 205 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 76; 2018, PP. 197-210 206 well-known feminist Kamla Bhasin in the women’s the in Bhasin movement Kamla over south Asia: feminist all well-known Hindustan Times patriarchy. The number against afeminist as are origins but its genealogical tists, unhappiness. and world, hunger a perfect of a world conflict, free definition dream of of the Utopiaas classic to the a sense, of in hope abeacon student similar, is in protests sees that Utopian Krishnan’s vision recent student times. in protests of context the Indian in Utopianthe notion activist world left of a better well-known projected by this on interested here focusing in Iam this, as such from activism only result can that advancement actual way the any in in, or result may dismissing by Krishnan listed note: Utopian for She equitable for on agitations ends such education rights? democratic and a a“majority that of against said students” are panel Subramanian the has she asks, spontaneously. demonstrations the in then, joining universities Onbasis and what of from other students colleges thousands have seen JNU in crackdown the against Hokthe Kolorob of protests 2014 recent movement the University and Jadavpur in Further, deeply entrenched casteism. against protesting Hyderabad, are students helped University workers. implement the of In for have also campus laws labour They facilities. library hostel and as well as harassment sexual and casteism against measures policies, admission just socially safeguarded and have secured over years the University, Nehru agitations of Jawaharlal education. In quality the were destroying Credit System that Four Choice Yearimposed Based and Undergraduate Programme politically the University, referendums against voice in their heard made students Delhi In India. some across of recent developments the lists campuses in Krishnan University. A vibrant and charismatic Bhasin, in her early forties, chanted it with it with chanted forties, her early in Bhasin, charismatic University. and A vibrant to 1991, back dates ber Women’s at the Kolkata’s Jadavpur in Conference Studies num “Azaadi” of the beat catchy to the chanting and of dancing memory early An Asia. south over all movement women’s the in Bhasin Kamla feminist by well-known popularised and evolved It patriarchy. was against number afeminist as originated chant the Interestingly, assumed. being is as separatists, Kashmir from gift today, youth of not the is a of asection heartbeat the become has which Kumar, Kanhaiya leader student (JNU) University Nehru by Jawaharlal chant The “Azaadi” The those as such protests that gains real from the Without retreating sense any in 2016) (Krishnan fear. not rulers’ hope, by the by youthful shaped be should policy power. in Education by those a tool wielded as education see to who refuse students and teachers of afraid are power. in They told by those are they to do what people refuse who young thoughtful spirited, of public- afraid theare worldAnd over, world. rulers for better a to fighting mitted com generation The world —ofover, a younger of hope is a sign claims. it report panel Subramanian “studies”, from the as not is a“distraction” activism Campus years. few last the in India in on increase been the has University activism Azaadi reported on reported 5 chant was assumed by some to be a gift from Kashmir separa from Kashmir by some to agift be assumed was chant th March that it was evolved and popularised by popularised evolved it and was that March - - - Hindustan Times DGVYh6J.html s-azadi-chant-not-a-gift-from-kashmir-separatists-but-from-feminists/story-K7GQNzhzE1Z8UFB “azadi” in the space of 51 space the in answered: or and minutes?’ so “azadi” Daily Oon 4 Daily tion for other groups too” 2016). (Dutt movement. inspira of feminist the Later, poems an of mostit popular the became “It founder-publisher one was Butalia, recalls, of Zubaan, Urvashi activist Feminist of kind. from injustice freedom any other groups wanting and Left it the reached that popular so became words.chant The later the improvised and feminists stani of longing. Although the words salaam lal the of longing. Although a utopia embodied that ideal, of an articulation the was that politics electioneering, interest or of form, self most free unadulterated politics and its purest in politics tive, mo ‘pure by personal song was the politics’: untainted and politics speech was this on matter. the other feelings sation had dispen ruling the and activists I’mnot one ABVP common the to sure everybody; obviously It is experience. doesn’t feeling the everyday and that saying need society belief, of shifted hope, having of something of -afeeling public time at that of viewing the responses or the in ‘blistering’) and other descriptions ‘electrifying’; included ‘fiery’, was days ‘impassioned’,following (the of it most frequently adjective the reportage uncommon used either in the in -not feeling this and language change.’ It that this in is to participate have dared we that to believe home back dare Kumar, For JNU. more, hours in afew we can shifted has on something TV, that knowing Kumar’s speech Kanhaiya live, watching, was India of India... the rest Actually, the Listening to the speech and song in real time, Jyoti Malhotra, writing in the the in writing Jyoti Malhotra, time, real song in and speech to the Listening freedom)”. woman’s is every slogan freedom, wants my daughter freedom, want (My sisters Azaadi... naara ka naari Azaadi, maange bachhi meri Azaadi, maange behane were “Meri by coined Bhasin words The original her childhood. it throughout chanted and song the on caught there once, me accompanied daughter,had Mywho five-year-old air. the in fists their her, women throwing surrounded and hand in drum a little 2 momentthis the mind to describe of to repeatedly came that The phrase have must gone to sleep much JNU later than She night, concluded: ‘Last 2016) aprayer. even (Malhotra perhaps on mouth awing, your from it exhaled is finally, litany, soon a until, chorus, then a invocation, an into word, first seditious allegedly single, that transform you can jail, Tihar in days 20 spending after versity Uni Nehru to Jawaharlal returned you recently have and Kumar you’reIf Kanhaiya it learnt she from Paki had said of poem, roots Bhasin the the Recalling

Nirupama Dutt ‘“Hum kya chahte? Azaadi!” Story of slogan raised by JNU’s Kanhaiya’ byJNU’s raised of slogan Story Azaadi!” chahte? kya ‘“Hum Dutt Nirupama th . , March 5 , March March, just a day later, asked, ‘How many times can you demand you demand later, can aday just ‘How March, times asked, many th , 2016. https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/kanhaiya-kumar- See: , a feeling almost unbelievable in today’s in unbelievable almost , afeeling resonated in the air, and arepetition air, of the and in resonated . We are changed, hearing Kanhaiya Kanhaiya hearing . We changed, are 2 (Dutt 2016) The The ------

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 76; 2018, PP. 197-210 207 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 76; 2018, PP. 197-210 208 colours they are dressed, whether chronological or logical, the impulse to nation impulse the or logical, chronological whether dressed, are they colours one’s and homelanguage [which is] not apositive affect’.nationalist whatever ‘In situations.’ (14)post-national in says, Jurgen Habermas as We future. living, alimited are and history a limited has that or experiment a happening an was of state the structure abstract the with of together nationalism ‘the putting that suggesting in ‘nation the thing’ christens without nation’. here to she Arendt’sto She what returns regard with perceptiveness women, men and Sabar inventive ‘oral-formulaic tribal the presentations’ of ‘thinking (Spivak12-13). ofsource legitimacy’ of songs the in her in discussion Song returns reproductive ‘as heteronormativity’ a to call of I later learned what assumptions the are ‘toin be found instances, these from she realises nationalism, of ingredients The 1940s. the in Calcutta in day’, popular rhyme about Japanese street the the and Mebar Patan Roy D.L. of patriotic drama songs the the People’s of IPTA [= songs the Indian Association],of ‘the Theatre extraordinary self-consciously, her she by outlines memories invoking that to begin reason chooses conversation Butler 2007, the in with after for Spivak, years no published three Nationalism titled outto and left of the have Imagination been alecture earlier. In number of times. staggering on YouTube available and on a tv already been it has as time at any to accessed be live other broadcast the and to all; familiar and endlessly repeated documentaries, and onenewsreels later on and on film radio, live— the were broadcast both that is share also speeches both What to make. embarrassing almost is comparison the although similar, it ways was these all investment —in by personal untainted was it electioneering, it transcended lines, way. party asimilar It in politics transcended momentthe too, founding made at speech That speech. India’sof above freedom, was Nehru’s destiny’ was to ‘Tryst with mind famous came that only instance the India, of independent history moment the in for to this a similar Searching above politics. opposite, the some action’, in of way being exactly practical and indicating strategic competitive, of ‘a it of as constantly space inverse of common understanding the (3). country, disease the invigorate were the now as seen would prophylactic the that degeneration. once as and Politics seen state, the and into action’,fallen had ‘corruption life Gandhi’s the endthat by afieldIndira of and practical competitive,strategic agency, field constantly of a space of human undeterminable ‘a as necessarily Gandhi and of Nehru time conceived of the in was how politics Idea of when India he his articulates in context Indian the of in politics concept the discusses Khilnani Sunil system. the corruption in to indicate is politics of pure aresult is something to imply to that denigrate, used normally politics’ is a sense, above or in routine, the it was, momentthe ordinary the somehow to seemed transcend form, everyday in not politics its was This he vowspoetry’, and he no is Marxist. Express Indian inquilab Further, what the nation thing conjures ‘a is Further, rock-bottom nation thing the one’s what in comfort into conversation back the to Spivak conclude sheI want seemed by bringing thethethen, term used here, is which in politcs’‘pure being is Thesense was a part of the refrain, the moment strangely transcended party lines; as as lines; party transcended moment the strangely of refrain, the apart was politics. Which then leads us to the realisation that the phrase ‘pure phrase the that realisation to the us leads then Which politics. correspondent ‘pure Tunku it for was him protest said, Varadarajan sung ‘every Independence ‘every sung - others seems to say to us: ‘Imagine this, please, for world anew corner.’ please, the around this, to ‘Imagine say to us: seems others of thousands and (49, 58) by Kanhaiya song sung azadi the what precisely is Which for you.’ world anew corner. please, the around Thank of this, regions... Imagine South, acluster Global the in world acluster is that are-imagined towards I look boundaries’. national the ‘As for me,’ utopian. she concludes, altogether ‘I am beyond regionalism, a critical towards inclining and identitarianism, of nationalist the baggage of ‘free South’ Global a ‘so-called imagines she off tongues, rolls our ‘nation-state’ that easy the of reinvention the than rather of state’ the speaking ‘by ofpublic “we own is our control must sphere” workings the alism (p. 18) Ending Revised paper accepted for publication: 12 February 2018 12 February publication: for accepted paper Revised Reviews sent to author: 3 November 2017 3November author: to sent Reviews

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 76; 2018, PP. 197-210 209 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 76; 2018, PP. 197-210 210 Sampath Vij Malhotra Spivak Krishnan Khilnani Vermula Varadarajan Dutt Butler Balibar High Court of Delhi Court High , Shivam. “Kanhaiya’s Bail Judgement Begins With ‘Mere Desh Ki Dharti’.” H Dharti’.” Ki ‘Mere Desh With Begins Judgement Bail “Kanhaiya’s , Shivam. The The Kanhaiya’. byJNU’s Raised of Slogan Story Azaadi!” chahte? kya “Hum , Nirupama. , Gayatri. Nationalism and the Imagination, Gayatri. , Judith and Gayatri Spivak Gayatri and , Judith , Etienne. ‘Europe at the Limits,’ Interventions Limits,’ the at ‘Europe , Etienne. The Hindu The Anti-national.” an Is “Who , G. opinion/op-ed/Who-is-an-anti-national/article14082785.ece 2018. February 18 dhaba-azaadi-rohith-vemula-narendra-modi-anti-national/story/1/9356.html https://www.dailyo.in/politics/kanhaiya-kumar-released-jnu-row-delhi-hc-sabarmati- ruay 2018.ruay 2016. 8September Accessed to-silence-activism-the-education-policy-report-is-turning-a-deaf-ear-to-students-voicesVoices of India’s Scroll.in Students,’ 9 March 2018.9 March 2016. https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2016/03/02/story_n_9367810.htmlMarch doc/301716807/Full-text-Kanhaiya-Kumar-bail-order 2018 9March Accessed story-K7GQNzhzE1Z8UFBDGVYh6J.html. kanhaiya-kumar-s-azadi-chant-not-a-gift-from-kashmir-separatists-but-from-feminists/ outlookindia.com/website/story/my-birth-is-my-fatal-accident/296429 kumar/ com/article/opinion/columns/reverse-swing-the-beauty-of-sedition-jnu-jnu-row-kanhaiya- Hindustan Times Outlook India Outlook Accident.” My Fatal Is , Rohith.”My Birth The Idea of India Idea The , Sunil. , Kavita. ‘By Trying to Silence Campus Activism, Education Policy Report Is Ignoring the the Ignoring Is Report Policy Education Activism, Campus Silence to ‘By Trying , Kavita. , Yioti. “The Night Kanhaiya Kumar Reclaimed JNU and Azadi.” 4 March 2016. March 4 Azadi.” and JNU Reclaimed Kumar Kanhaiya Night “The , Yioti. , Tunku. “The Beauty of Sedition,” Express Indian of Beauty , Tunku. “The . Accessed 18 February 2018. 18 February . Accessed . “Kanhaiya Kumar bail order.” 2016. bail https://es.scribd.com/ 2March Kumar . “Kanhaiya , March 5 , March . Hamish Hamilton, 1997. Hamilton, . Hamish . Who Sings the Nation-State? REFERENCES th , 2016. https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/ See: 25 2016. June https://scroll.in/article/810505/by-trying- Seagull, 2010. . 17 February 2016. http://www.thehindu.com/ . 17 February , 18: 2(2016). , 6 March 2016. http://indianexpress. , 6 March . Accessed 10 March 2018. 10 March . Accessed Seagull, 2007. , 18 January 2016. https://www., 18 January . Accessed 18 February 2018 18 February . Accessed . . Accessed 18 Feb . Accessed uffington Post uffington . Acccessed . Accessed . Accessed , 2 - .