Let us draw an analogy between two people here. One, a research scholar in the Jawaharlal Nehru University. The other is a monk-turned politician, who is the current Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Both support right-wing ideology and politics. While the former occasionally finds comfort in saffron clothing, one may not spot the latter in anything other than saffron in the public. Needless to say, both ardently follow the Hindutva ideology. That could be the reason, many thought that the former, Raghavendra Mishra, looked so much like Yogi Adityanath.
Today, Mishra calls himself JNU's Ambedkarite Yogiji. While the real Yogi calls the Muslim League a virus, the junior Yogi went a step ahead and started something called the Hindu Defence League. But what exactly is this league defending? Mishra says, "For years, the Muslim students in JNU are offering Namaz inside the Central Library. But this isn't right. The library is a place to study and not to exercise religious activities." He says that the 'unapologetic' Hindu Defence League, is trying to ask the students to offer Namaz inside their rooms and not in the library. " We (Hindus) aren't chanting the Hanuman Chalisa inside the library. What if Christians start 'celebrating' Good Friday there tomorrow?" asks Mishra, not quite realising that Good Friday isn't an occasion to celebrate.
Mishra says that the league will tell the Muslims not to offer Namaz inside the library and if they oppose it, "they'll get a taste of their own medicine." If you think that league is just for Hindus, you are wrong. "Anyone can join us. But no one should do or say anything against the Holy Cow, Ganga, Ram and the pillars of Hinduism. If anyone attacks our religion, we'll seek revenge," says Mishra, who claims that the league already has 'many' members.
But those 'many' members do not include the JNUSU. Mishra says why. "They are Islamists. If not, why aren't they opposing the Namaz happening in the library?" asks Mishra.
