Kanhaiya Kumar, former President of Jawaharlal Nehru University Student’s Union from Bihar, is the leader of All India Student Federation (AISF) which is an organisation considered close to the Communist Party of India (CPI). Born and brought up in a small village of Bihar, his family has traditionally been supporting the CPI.
In his college days, he got involved in Student’s politics and joined AISF. In 2015, he was selected as the first AISF member to become the President of JNU Student Union defeating all the AISA, ABVP, SFI and NSUI candidates.
In 2016, he was arrested for an event organised in the JNU campus against the hanging of Parliament attack inmate Afzal Guru. Though he denied the charges that he neither shouted any slogan nor said anything against the integrity of the nation, he was taken into custody.
He has written his entire story in his autobiography named ‘Bihar to Tihar: My Political Journey’.
The book describes the electrifying political debut of Kanhaiya Kumar. In March 2016, he was arrested on charges of sedition and was locked up in Tihar Jail. He was even beaten up by the lawyers in Patiala House court.
The book tells his story right from his childhood in rural Bihar, his graduation in Patna to his political association in Delhi. The story is told in his extraordinary voice—witty, expressive and raw. It is the story of a person everyone hated due to the conspiracies he was struck in.
The book shares the struggle he has faced throughout. The bad economic condition, the obstacles that came through his way, then the label he got by the Media, he has shared it all. The book very well describes the beauty of JNU and its various colours. Freedom of expression which is usually attacked by the external forces is still surviving in the University. Kanhaiya Kumar also talks about sold media, the snatching away of the right to freedom of expression.
It is not extraordinary literature but you can read it if you have made up a different kind of image for the JNU or you hate the JNU students for being “anti-nationalist” as shown by the media. You will definitely change your thoughts by the end of this book.
Not only a proper insight of Kanhaiya’s life but also Indian politics has been very well described. A must read for all the people who are interested in knowing the truth behind the media and Indian politics.
Happy reading!
