Chandrashekhar Prasad: Difference between revisions

'''Chandrashekar Prasad''' (20 September 1964 – 31 March 1997)<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/politics/gun-killed-jnus-chandrashekhar-secular|title=The Gun That Killed JNU's Chandrashekhar 20 Years Ago Was 'Secular'|last=Kant|first=Krishna|date=1 April 2017|website=[[The Wire (India)]]|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-01}}</ref> popularly known as '''Chandu'''<ref name=":3" /> was a [[student leader]] and later an activist affiliated to the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation]].<ref name=":4">{{cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/jnu-sedition-row/2016/02/18/before-kanhaiya-came-chandu-a-jnu-president-killed-19-years-ago|title=Before Kanhaiya Came 'Chandu': A JNU President Killed 19 Years Ago|publisher=The Quint|accessdate=2 September 2016|date=2016-05-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911093025/https://www.thequint.com/jnu-sedition-row/2016/02/18/before-kanhaiya-came-chandu-a-jnu-president-killed-19-years-ago|archive-date=11 September 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> He gratudated from the [[Jawaharlal Nehru University]], and served as the president of the [[Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union]] for two terms.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> Prasad played a key role in the development of the [[All India Students Association]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/jnu-elections-shahabuddin-bail-rjd-mp-protests-340378-2016-09-10|title=After elections, JNU students to raise voice against RJD MP Shahabuddin's bail|last=Purkayastha|first=Parbina|date=10 September 2016|website=[[India Today]]|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-01}}</ref>

On 31 March 1997, he was assassinated by sharpshooters allegedly in the employ of [[Mohammad Shahabuddin]] of the [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]], while addressing street corner meetings in the district town of [[Siwan, Bihar]] in support of a strike.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/three-sentenced-to-life-in-chandrasekhar-murder-case/article3220897.ece|title=Three sentenced to life in Chandrasekhar murder case|date=2012-03-25|newspaper=The Hindu|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|access-date=2016-03-10}}</ref> His assassination led to remarkable student protests across [[India]].<ref name=":0" /> In 2012, four people were convicted for his murder and [[Life Sentence|life sentences]] were awarded to each of them; all the convicted were former members of the [[Janata Dal]] (later split into [[Janata Dal (United)]] and [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]]).<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/patna-hc-upholds-life-imprisonment-of-four-in-former-jnusu-president-chandrashekhar-murder-case/articleshow/69268553.cms|title=Chandrashekhar murder case: Patna: HC upholds life imprisonment of four in former JNUSU president Chandrashekhar murder case {{!}} Patna News - Times of India|last=Karmakar|first=Debashish|date=10 May 2019|website=[[The Times of India]]|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jnu-vandalised-22375|title=JNU vandalised|last=|first=|date=7 January 2020|website=[[Tribune India]]|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-01}}</ref>

Chandrashekhar Prasad was born in 20 September 1964 in [[Siwan, Bihar]]. His father was a sergeant in the [[Indian Air Force]] who died of a heart attack when he was 8 years old. His mother, Kaushalya Devi states that she only got {{INRConvert|150||lk=on|year=1973}} as compensation for her husband's service to the forces but made sure her son was educated well.<ref name=":5">{{cite web|url=http://archive.tehelka.com/story_main30.asp?filename=Ne020607Betrayed_by.asp|title=Betrayed by Revolution: "'The CPI (ML) hails Chandrashekhar as a martyr. But his aged mother feels her son's sacrifice was in vain''|last=|first=|date=2 September 2016|website=|publisher=[[Tehelka]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310142820/http://archive.tehelka.com/story_main30.asp?filename=Ne020607Betrayed_by.asp|archive-date=10 March 2016|accessdate=2 September 2016}}</ref> Chandrashekhar completed his [[intermediate education]] at [[Army School, Tilaiya|Army School]] in [[Jhumri Telaiya|Jhumri Tilaiya]]. Following his schooling, he was selected for [[National Defence Academy (India)|National Defence Academy]] training in [[Pune]]. He joined the program but left it after 2 years stating dissatisfaction.<ref name=":1" /> He subsequently enrolled in [[Patna University]] and became involved in the [[All India Students Federation]] as an active member but became disillusioned with the federation some time afterwards. In 1990, he joined [[Jawaharlal Nehru University]] for a [[MPhil]] degree in [[English literature]]. He later started working on a PhD on Bihar's popular folk theater form ''Bidesia'' but was assassinated before he could complete it.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/red-island-erupts/203394|title=Red Island Erupts|last=Joshi|first=Rajesh|date=16 April 1997|website=[[Outlook India]]|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-03}}</ref>

Chandrashekhar Prasad became associated with the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation]] during the formation of the [[All India Students Association]].<ref name=":3" /> In an [[Aligarh]] town hall, he expressed his desire to bring a "revolution" for clean politics in India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.rediff.com/commentary/2016/feb/18/kanhaiya-should-not-meet-slain-jnu-student-leader-chandrashekhar-prasads-fate/5244279a83113d990e77197300fd9af3|title=Kanhaiya should not meet slain JNU student leader Chandrashekhar Prasad's fate|last=Rahmani|first=Hussain|date=18 February 2016|website=[[Rediff]]|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-03}}</ref> He is credited for almost single handedly building up the All India Students Association during his stay in Jawaharlal Nehru University. He was elected to the body of the [[Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union]] as the vice president for one term and president for two terms. He is described to have played a key role in creating the foundations of [[Workers rights|labourers]], [[Student rights in higher education|students]], [[Women's rights|women's]] and [[dalit]]s rights movements among the students community. After completing his M. Phil, he decided to move back to his hometown of Siwan to start a movement there.<ref name=":1" />

Prasad was addressing a ''nukkad sabha'' (corner meeting) on J.P Road in [[Siwan, Bihar]] on 31 March 1997 for organising a ''[[bandh]]'' (general strike) called in Bihar to protest against the mass murders and scandals that were rampant in the state. During the meeting, he was killed in a [[mass shooting]] along with another activist, Shyam Narayan Yadav and a hawker Bhutele Miyan.<ref name=":1" /> [[Mohammad Shahabuddin]] who was a member of parliament and known as a strongman in the district,<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-dreaded-bahubali-mohammad-shahabuddin-116091500255_1.html|title=All you need to know about the dreaded 'Bahubali' Mohammad Shahabuddin|date=2016-09-15|work=[[Business Standard India]]|access-date=2020-04-01|url-status=live}}</ref> was the prime accused for the shooting along with 5 other members of the [[Janata Dal]] (later split into [[Janata Dal (United)]] and [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]]).<ref name=":2" />

Following the assassination of Chandrashekhar Prasad, there were "unprecedented protests" by students across India.<ref name=":0" /> In [[Delhi]], students from the [[Jawaharlal Nehru University]] marched to the Bihar Niwas demanding a dialogue with the then [[Chief Minister of Bihar]], [[Lalu Prasad Yadav]]. In response, [[Sadhu Yadav]], a leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal had allegedly ordered a mass shooting on the student protesters by the police.<ref name=":1" /> The protests occurred in various university campuses across major institutions such as [[Banaras Hindu University]], [[Jadavpur University]], [[Jamia Millia Islamia]], Jawaharlal Nehru University and [[University of Lucknow]] among others; led by Kaushalya Devi, the mother of Chandrashekhar. Devi had been offered monetary compensation by the [[Government of Bihar]] which she had refused. The [[All India Students Association]] also demanded the arrest of Sadhu Yadav and [[capital punishment]] for Mohammad Shahabuddin. The student protests were able to pressurise Lalu Prasad Yadav into allowing the [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] to investigate the case. The term ''goonda raj'' to refer to the criminalisation of politics in Bihar was coined during these protests.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19970515-laloo-prasad-yadav-finds-himself-under-fire-from-students-831412-1997-05-15|title=Laloo Prasad Yadav finds himself under fire from students|last=Jha|first=Sanjay Kumar|date=15 May 1997|website=[[India Today]]|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-02}}</ref>

On 26 February 2012, following the investigation by the [[Central Bureau of Investigation]], a [[special court]]<ref name=":5" /> convicted 3 of the accused, sentenced them to [[life imprisonment]] and fined each of them a sum of {{INRConvert|40000||lk=on|year=2012}}. The general secretary [[Dipankar Bhattacharya]] however expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict and stated that the verdict was "disappointing inadequate" and that the courts had skirted the "political charecterisation of the murder" by ignoring the charges on [[Mohammad Shahabuddin]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/three-sentenced-to-life-in-chandrasekhar-murder-case/article3220897.ece|title=Three sentenced to life in Chandrasekhar murder case|date=2012-03-25|work=The Hindu|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402111424/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/three-sentenced-to-life-in-chandrasekhar-murder-case/article3220897.ece|archive-date=2020-04-02|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> the prime accused in the case. On 23 March 2012, a fourth accused was sentenced for life whose trial had run separately and a fifth accused had died during the course of the trials, therefore, no convictions were brought against him.<ref name=":2" /> Following the trials, the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation]] states that the CBI treated the crime like a case of random shooting instead of a political assassination. The party maintains the position that no justice was granted with the verdict where a young activist was killed by a sitting member of Parliament and only his [[hitmen]] were sentenced.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.archive.cpiml.org/liberation/year_2012/may_2012/commentary_4.html|title=Who Is the Real Killer of Comrade Chandrashekhar?|last=|first=|date=|website=Liberation - CPIML Archives|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-03}}</ref>

In 2010, filmmaker [[Mahesh Bhatt]] initiated a project to create a biopic of Chandrashekhar Prasad titled ''Chandu''. The announcement invoked controversy against any perceived sense of distortions of facts on the contemporary figure. The project however stated that the film will not indulge in any distortion of facts for commercial gains and will be produced as a documentary film. The documentary film maker Ajay Kanchan was employed as the director of the film. The actor [[Imran Zahid]] was casted to play the role of Chandrashekhar "Chandu" Prasad.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/chandu-wont-distort-facts-for-commercial-gain-director/628378/|title=Chandu won't distort facts for commercial gain: director - Indian Express|last=|first=|date=2 June 2010|website=[[Indian Express]]|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-02}}</ref> In 2013, the project was scrapped due to opposition to its production and concerns of potential legal hurdles as a result of the cases related to the assassination being [[sub judice]] at the time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/archives/metro/film-on-jnu-leader-scrapped-director-302749.html|title=Film on JNU leader scrapped: Director|last=|first=|date=2013-02-12|website=[[Deccan Herald]]|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-02}}</ref> The project was revived in 2016 and is currently under production as a non-commercial documentary.<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/biopic-on-slain-jnu-leader-chandrashekhar-prasad-to-be-revived-116022000435_1.html|title=Biopic on slain JNU leader Chandrashekhar Prasad to be revived|date=2016-02-20|work=[[Business Standard India]]|access-date=2020-04-02|url-status=live}}</ref>