JNU students outraged as road inside campus named after Veer Savarkar

Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) leader Aishe Ghosh has slammed varsity authorities for naming a road inside the campus after nationalist leader Veer Savarkar. The board has been put up right next to a signboard pointing the way to the Subansir Hostel.

Sharing a picture of the board with the new name of the road, Ghosh tweeted: “It’s a shame to the legacy of JNU that this man’s name has been put in this university. Never did the university had space for Savarkar and his stooges and never will it have (sic).”

It's a shame to the legacy of JNU that this man's name has been put in this university.

Never did the university had space for Savarkar and his stooges and never will it have !#RejectHindutva@ndtv@BhimArmyChief@RanaAyyub@SFI_CEC@ttindia@IndiaTodaypic.twitter.com/Q81PSkkpzq — Aishe (ঐশী) (@aishe_ghosh) March 15, 2020

Hindu nationalist leader Savarkar is often criticised for siding with the imperialists during the British occupation of India and for propagating Hindutva philosophy.

According to a News18 report, the decision to name a road inside the campus after VD Savarkar was taken on November 13, 2019. At the same meeting, it was decided that hostel fees for students will be increased – a move that triggered much violence on campus in the month to follow.

Several other road names were proposed in the meeting, including Maharishi Valmiki Marg, Guru Ravidas Marg, Abdul Hamid Marg, Veer Shivaji Marg, Rani Abbaka Marg, Sardar Patel Marg, Rani Jhansi Marg, and Maharana Pratap Marg.

Notably, the practice of naming varsity campus roads after renowned statesmen began recently during one of JNU’s executive council meetings.

JNU General Secretary Satish Chandra Yadav has dubbed it an attempt to salvage the reputation of the university, which is frequently criticised of being a hotbed for anti-national activities. He also said: “The people who joined with colonial powers at the time of freedom movement are being given this treatment in JNU. We won’t accept it.”