JNU violence: 'She inspires us,' says Raghuram Rajan as he supports Deepika Padukone

Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan took to social media to laud Deepika Padukone for her stand in the JNU violence episode. He also spoke about Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa and said that despite harassment to his family he performed his duty. Rajan lauded both the personalities and said that for some people, truth, freedom and justice are not just lofty words but ideals worth sacrificing for in a Linkedin post.

Without naming Padukone, Rajan said, "When a Bollywood actress registers her silent protest by meeting with the victims of the attack on JNU, even though she puts attendance at her latest movie at risk, she inspires us all to take stock of what is truly at stake." The movie he is referring to is her latest release Chhapaak, based on the life of acid-attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal.

In the blog post 'A Resolution for the New Decade', Rajan said that masked assailants running rampant and attacking students and teachers in one of India's leading universities is "worrisome". He also pointed out that the assailants were "entirely undisturbed" by the police. "When even elite universities become literal battlegrounds, accusations that the government is attempting to suppress dissent-even if by apathy rather than design-gain substantial credibility," he said.

Talking about Lavasa whom he did not name, Rajan said, "When an Election Commissioner carries out his duties impartially despite the harassment it brings upon his family, he asserts that integrity has not been completely cowed."

The former RBI Governor also applauded the protesters and said, "When young people of diverse faiths march together, Hindus and Muslims arm-in-arm behind our national flag, rejecting artificial divides stoked by political leaders for their own gain, they show that the spirit of our constitution still burns brightly."

"These people show through their actions that they think truth, freedom, and justice are not merely lofty words, but ideals worth sacrificing for. It is they who are fighting today for the India that Mahatma Gandhi gave his life for. It is they, who never marched to win freedom, but today march to preserve it, who give us hope that Rabindranath Tagore's dream ..."into that heaven of freedom, My Father, let my country awake"... will continue to be a reality," said Rajan in the LinkedIn post.

He said that our Constitution was not perfect but was made by individuals who faced the horrors of fratricidal partition and sought to bring out the best in a complex society. "What better resolution for the new decade than to re-dedicate ourselves to ensuring that this spirit burns strongly in each one of us? In these troublesome times, let us work together to make India that shining example of tolerance and respect that our founders envisioned, a beacon once more for a weary world. Let that be our task for the new decade," he said.

Deepika Padukone received criticism and praise for standing in solidarity with protesting JNU students. As for Lavasa, soon after BJP came to power, investigations were initiated against five members of his family. 

Also read: Deepika Padukone visits JNU to express solidarity with students

Also read: JNU Violence: Anand Mahindra condemns attacks on students; says culprits "must be traced and hunted down"