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The students union at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, on 10th February 2009, organized a demonstration to protest against fee hikes, renting out university space for commercial purposes, and tampering with the reservation policy for students from deprived sections. The protests saw students participating in large numbers: their enthusiasm could not be dampened by a sudden shower or strong cold winds; soon, the sun reappeared in its warm glory as the protests continued with feverish sloganeering, agitated speakers with fingers raised to question all injustices, and refreshing songs in chorus reverberating in fervent claps.

JNU remains the last vestige in the Indian intellectual mindscape, ferociously guarding left ideologies in both its liberal reason and radical grandeur. This is the same campus where the multinational Nestle was asked to shut shop a few years ago, where every social and political event in the country elicits an opinion and a response, where rightist political leaders dread stepping in and are hooted out when they mistakenly do so. Ironically, the visual landscape of the campus has changed in the last few years. In perceptibly 'soft' ways this space is no longer sacrosanct, brand visibility is up, times are changing, but the fight is still on!