Disturbing it is. And before it becomes a trend, elders of society need to sit down and think how to deal with the matter. Student politics is undoubtedly a global phenomena but it is the scale of violence here that is disturbing to note. Already the arson at Manipur University has led to loss of lakhs of rupees and over and above this there have been reports of different student organisations coming to blows with each other. Nothing can be more tragic than this. It is all that more disturbing when the violence occurs right inside the campus of an educational institute. Difficult to say what factors pitch these students against each other so violently but seriously nothing can be right about this. Student politics is fine and acceptable but when this politics turns into goondaism then that brand of politics cannot come anywhere near what is understood as politics. Student politics should ideally be about nurturing future leaders of the land, people who can lay down the agenda of the land and bring issues to the notice of the Government. Surely fisticuffs do not come anywhere near this understanding and this is what has been happening in Manipur for some time now. Not that things were better earlier, but the recent spurt of violence between different student organisations is worrying. It is this which should be addressed to by the elders of society.
Students should ideally be concentrating on their studies and looking for ways to develop their personalities. However given the present reality, it is more than clear that there are many who prefer to indulge in goondaism and speak the language of violence. This is where parents and elders of each family need to monitor the activities of their children and ward and see how they can be disciplined. And certainly indulging in fisticuffs just because not all share the same thoughts and ideas is something far removed from discipline. The focus of all student organisations should be the welfare of the students who they represent but when they do not think twice before resorting to muscle power then surely nothing is right with their thought process. It is also time to seriously mull whether the ease with which young students indulge in violence is reflective of the violence in society or not. Most probably the answer will be in the affirmative for the years of violence would have dulled the sensibilities of the young minds to violence. Violence no longer seems to shock anyone and this is worrying especially when it comes to students.
