DU classes resume

The striking teachers protested what is generally seen as an unprecedented act of barbarity which put the freedom of writers in jeopardy. They also demanded exemplary punishment to the attackers and resignation of the home minister for the law enforcers' inability to protect Dr Azad. The demands are indicative of the teachers' strong resolve not to allow the incident to go unchallenged. So the symbolic value of the protest must have been there. The government has responded to the agitation by sending Dr. Azad abroad for better treatment, but the other issues raised by the teachers have not yet been resolved.

However, the rationale behind class boycott for over three weeks, which affected thousands of students, remains unclear. It is difficult to comprehend what the teachers could achieve through the class boycott, except derailing the academic schedules of the university. So what was the point in dragging it that long, the general students having a big stake in regular holding of classes?

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The boycott paralysed all activities at the university. It surely needs no elaboration that the attackers were not hurt by the move. If they are the ones who do not want intellectual freedom to prevail in society, they can only be elated if life comes to a standstill at the premier university of the country. If we want to strike at the root of the dark forces, the campaign must begin from the seats of learning. But there is nothing to be gained from embarking on a self-defeating course like boycotting classes for a long time.

The progressive forces, which include the aggrieved teachers, must unite to resist the elements who could commit a dastardly crime like the one we witnessed on February 27. But the campaign must not be at cost of academic pursuits at the highest seat of learning.