The Ashoka University Student Government (AUSG)’s Undergraduate Council initiated a new program to foster open dialogue and public debate, with monthly discussion circles on urgent political issues at local, national, and international levels.
Ahana Walanju (UG’26), Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) spoke about the discussion circles as an endeavour that may take a while to kickstart fully. However, “it becomes our responsibility as elected representatives to encourage and provide spaces and environments where students feel free to discuss on a wide range of issues,” she added.
The inaugural session took place on 5th November, 2024. In response to the recent demise of Indian businessman Ratan Tata, the theme of the first discussion circle was “Examining Systemic Oppression and Corporate Responsibility.”
One AUSG member’s comment— “No billionaire in a way is ethical, not just billionaire but anyone who earns money”— sparked dialogue about Tata’s legacy and the company’s impact. The attendees discussed how the Tata group historically acquired lands from marginalized communities to build factories. This session highlighted the tension between corporate goodwill and the effects of systemic inequality.
As parts of an integrated steel plant, Tata Steel and Tata Power were established in Kalimati, a village in East Singhbhum, Jharkhand. According to Adivasi tribal activists, the company had taken over 24 villages comprising Bhumij, Ho, and Santhal Adivasi communities for these projects. They claim that the company built Jamshedpur on Adivasi land, giving preference to outsiders in employment instead of the locals.
Concerns regarding marginalized communities were brought to attention in a 2006 incident in Odisha, one of many where tribal land was allocated for constructing a steel plant. The group started deliberating as to why such issues lack public scrutiny. Participants questioned whether focusing on capitalist exploitation is limited to the more privileged. The discussion also brought up the question of the land Ashoka University is built on, purchased from the Haryana government. Group members questioned if the people living on this land were fairly compensated for its possession.
One participant recounted how a few Ashoka students who had initially posted about similar issues on social media, only to remove them after facing backlash from peers. This raised concerns regarding self-censorship and freedom of expression within the university, as students struggle to deal with the pressure to “fit in.”
[Edited by Fatema Tambawalla and Srijana Siri]
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