Sadhguru interacts with students of JNU, asks them to stay away from taking sides

Spiritual leader Jaggi Vasudev, also known as Sadhguru, interacted with students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi after delivering the Nehru Memorial Lecture at the varsity. He spoke about a variety of issues ranging from education, democracy, monogamy, and artificial intelligence and asked students to debate issues but not take sides. Sadhguru also expressed concern over the cases of suicides among teenagers due to education-related issues and stressed there is a need to revisit the education system.

In response to a query by a student on how one can remain neutral in JNU, which is a politically vibrant campus, he said that a country's citizens, especially students, should not be politically inclined. "If you want a lively democracy, except for a few committed party workers, the rest of the country should not be committed to any political ideology. But unfortunately, it has become a worldwide phenomenon. I was proudly speaking in the US about Indians living democracy till sometime back. I have just kept quiet about Indians living democracy in the past five years. We have become the same thing," he said.

The Isha Foundation founder also urged them to stay away from taking sides because by doing so, they are destroying democracy and creating a feudalistic society. "You must debate on issues but do not take sides at this stage. You are just destroying democracy. It becomes a feudalistic society then. Otherwise, we can function like China. But we have chosen a democratic process," he stressed.

Meanwhile, JNU student union boycotted the event. Newly elected JNUSU president N Sai Balaji said that such events are not good for the varsity. Balaji said that there was a time when University used to invite economists and academicians for the Nehru Memorial Lecture but not the varsity administration is trying to take it in a different direction. "We are strongly against such things and hence we have decided to boycott the event," the newly elected Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president said.