September 5, 1977
On September 5, 1977, Students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) marched to the residence of Indira Gandhi, with over 300 students participating.
The march was led by Sitaram Yechury, then 25 years old and the President of the JNU Student Union.
The students reached Indira Gandhi’s residence with the slogan that she was no longer eligible to remain as Chancellor after her defeat in the elections. Yechury demanded that the students be allowed to meet her and that the charges against her be read out.
The security team went inside to inform Indira Gandhi of the situation. Indira said that only four or five students could come in. Yechury responded that they were not just four or five but were all together and insisted on remaining outside. Eventually, Indira Gandhi came out to meet all the students. During this meeting, the infamous Internal Security Minister, Om Mehta, and two others were also present.
Yechury read out the students’ charges loudly, demanding why Indira should resign from the Chancellor’s position. Indira listened as she sat bound. The next day, Indira Gandhi resigned from the position of Chancellor. Yechury later remarked that this event was a reminder of the constitutional right to raise one’s voice and point out mistakes in front of authority figures who oppress ordinary citizens.
During the Emergency, Indira Gandhi did not enter JNU. She was forced to reschedule a program that was planned on the campus due to strong opposition from students who refused to allow her entry.
JNU as a Political School
Although Yechury had learned political lessons earlier, they were solidified during his time at JNU. His growth as a leader who would not yield to injustices began there. He has stated that joining JNU for his MA led to a clearer understanding of Marxism. It was also during this period that he became active in the activities of the Students Federation of India (SFI) and began his association with Prakash Karat. In 1973, Prakash Karat became the Chairman of the JNU Union, and Yechury delivered his first political speeches in support of Karat.
During the Emergency, Yechury led protests as the Convenor of the School of Social Sciences and later as the General Secretary of the JNU Student Union.
Yechury holds the rare distinction of being elected as the University Union President three times. Even while in hiding during the Emergency, Yechury continued his activities and was eventually arrested and imprisoned.
“VC Leave… JNU Will Function”
After the Emergency, Yechury led strong protests demanding the punishment of those responsible for the crisis. As part of this, Yechury and others blocked the car of VC B.D. Nagchoudhury at the JNU gate. The VC, after reversing his car, did not return to JNU for 40 days, during which the university faced difficulties in fulfilling its urgent needs.
Due to severe punitive measures and the lack of funds, students, under Yechury’s leadership, collected money from the public at Sarojini Nagar Market and Connaught Place. They raised placards stating, “VC Leave… JNU Will Function.”
“Study and Struggle”
From his student days, Yechury was notable for introducing innovative protest methods. He also led the drafting of the constitution that allowed the independent functioning of the university union.
In 1978, Yechury served as the All India Joint Secretary and later as President of the SFI. He was the first SFI President who was neither a Malayali nor a Bengali. It was during this time that the slogan “Study and Struggle” was raised by the SFI.
