25/02/2017
The events at Ramjas, as they have unfolded before us all, are a testament to the ever-present risk of our campuses shrinking further and further when it comes to space for accommodating discussion and debate of ideas, no matter how offensive. As one amongst a dime a dozen Debating Societies, one of the first things that we strive to grow out of is an unrelenting hesitation to even be willing to listen to ideas coming from someone we disapprove of because of their opinion on certain issues. A no-platform policy, if anything, polarizes people of differing opinions even further, and dooms people to their own respective echo chambers, and that is true whether you apply that standard to Milo or Umar Khalid. We believe that Ramjas College deserves all the solidarity, support and power we can give them in admittedly their most vulnerable time, but who have put on a resolute display of collective action.
Secondly, it is important to recognize that these events are no longer about the Left against the Right, but the products of a dominant narrative actively trying to shut out all debate and discussion. When any discussion on a sensitive topic repeatedly gets hijacked by violent, coercive means, or becomes too risky from the point of view of bodily harm or harassment, people stop talking about these issues altogether at the risk of their own life or career. That, we believe is the ultimate nail in the coffin of democracy and its ideals. In such a scenario, remaining neutral is essentially a privilege, and therefore, we also unequivocally condemn the oppressive actions of ABVP and the tacit support lent to them by the Delhi Police forces.
