In light of the recent protests and political activity in college campuses from Delhi to Hyderabad, civil society is fragmented on the extent, and the very existence of organized political movement in university campuses. The centrist views of hierarchical structures, without mainstream political parties, have also been called into question. This year, we seek to understand the dynamic equilibrium that persists, and whether it should exist at all.
The speakers at the bar debate provided insights into the motion like never before. Mr. Syed Sultan Ahmed, educator, film-maker, and media person and Mr. Adithya Reddy, eminent lawyer, and freelance journalist joined by a student speaker as they proposed the motion. Opposing the motion were Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar, former Cabinet minister, journalist and writer; Mr. AK Khan, current ACB Chief of Telangana and Prof. Hargopal, ICSSR National Fellow with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad. The debate sought to dissect the issue on socio-legal, economic, political and pedagogical parameters.