Sidharth Mishra is a veteran Delhi-based journalist, author and educator known for his sharp commentary on politics and public policy. He chairs the Vivekananda School of Journalism and Mass Communication (VIPS-TC) and leads the Centre for Reforms, Development & Justice.

Views expressed are author's own.

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Delhi University Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh has stirred a hornet’s nest by ‘speaking his mind out’ at a recent event titled ‘Bharat Manthan 2025: Naxal Mukt Bharat - Ending Red Terror under Modi’s Leadership’, organised by the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation in partnership with the Association of Indian Universities at Vigyan Bhawan. It’s not easy for the head of the hoary university to ‘speak one’s mind out’.

Professor Singh would have realised it too, given the expression of ruffled feathers at V-C’s speech going viral on the social media platforms. Delhi University has the past history of different ideological strands coexisting together and also sparing no opportunity to criticising each other.

The Vice Chancellors in the past may not have been as ‘honest’ in their expression on a social issue as Professor Singh was while speaking at this academic social event, though the critiques could defer on the nature of the event. The past Vice Chancellors too had their ideological biases and were guided by it in their functioning.

There are several instances to this effect, which form the part of the campus folklore. Without prejudice towards what Professor Singh spoke at the event, one could always examine whether teachers work overtime to ‘indoctrinate’ their pupils towards their ideological bend.

Teachers do influence, and in turn also create curiosity among students on the issues they may or may not bring up for discussion. As the student of Kirori Mal College in the second half of 1980s, one was taught by several such influencers, who made impact by their scholarship, pedagogy, dressing style and even with the brand of tobacco they smoked. Though one doesn’t recall these influencers overtly indoctrinating but subtly they did.

There was this instance of a much respected teacher of English literature discussing the cover of the annual college magazine. Yours truly, not out of any ideological compulsion, suggested that since that year 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda was being celebrated we could have his image on the cover.

For the first time one saw the calm face of my much respected teacher turn stern and say that he did not

know that I belonged to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). This came as a shock as though one was politically active one had friends from both the mainstream parties - the ABVP and the National Students Union of India (NSUI). The suggestion for cover was expressly turned down. This sent one to search for the reason which made the teacher take offence at my suggestion? The findings were amusing. The said teachers was a member of the Communist Party of Indian (which was still to turn to the fossil state it’s now in) and that the Communists had an aversion to the charismatic monk.

The Marxists saw religion is an ideological tool that can legitimize inequality, whereas Vivekananda saw religion as liberating force. Swamiji’s use of Hindu spiritual idioms for professing inclusive and Universalist philosophy was viewed by the Left as theological nationalism working towards Hindu revivalism.

Then there was another much adored and admired teachers of literature, he could play cricket with the college team despite being in the forties. He would always refer to solutions which then the West Bengal government could give to social issues plaguing the country. Needless to mention that was the era of Marxist government in the eastern state.

Coming back to Professor Singh’s concerns about the “Urban Naxals operating within university spaces and polluting minds”, one could refer to a report in this very column published a few weeks back.

It had mentioned that the Left-wing students’ organisations have off late come to make a mark in the Delhi University Students Union elections as the two mainstream parties were unable to address the issues of the common students.

The rise of this is attributable to the failure of the mainstream parties to create platforms for processing thoughts and expressions of the young minds.

The elections in the Delhi University today is a contest in splurging cash than providing space for a democratic process to a common student. Though Professor Singh or his team alone cannot be blamed for this trend, which is part of a larger societal change. The courts may reprimand the university administration for this splurge and neither the courts nor the government or even social organisations give university the power to overcome this truancy.

The issues which the Delhi University vice chancellor has raised may be referred to by a rival ideology as toxic but it certainly invites a debate.

A debate not just in the social media but also among the thought leaders. Left extremism has done great harm this nation and there should be a deliberation at every possible level how to end it.