Singing in the acid rain: Students counter JNU row, hit back with music

As JNU Students Union president's jail time (in sweetened legalese - judicial custody) is extended by two more weeks until March 2, the distraught university has responded the way it knows best: with music, lyrics and open-air classes on "nationalism".

While professors such as Gopal Guru, Nivedita Menon, G Arunima, Chaman Lal are delivering lectures every evening at 5 pm in the campus, a German student at the university has expressed solidarity with tender love and care.

Sylvie has composed a song - both an ode to Kanhaiya and an intrepid peaen to the spirit of resistance - called "We Are JNU".  

Here's the complete lyrics of Sylvie's song. Give it a good listen and then some more.

We are JNU

If they shackle us down,

we raise our voice

Cause democracy is

an everyday choice.

If they beat us up

and they push us around

We stand only more firmly

on our ground.

Chords:

Cause freedom is about right to speech -

Not the ideology that they preach.

And the stones they throw at us

We use to build new.

'Cause we are JNU! We are JNU!

If they cut our voice - we're still here to remind

That there are so many of our kind:

The neglected, the poor, the deprived, the suppressed -

We don't fight alone and we fight for the rest!

Chorus:

Cause freedom is about right to speech -

Not the ideology that they preach.

And the stones they throw at us

We use to build new.

'Cause we are JNU! We are JNU!

And it's not about love for this nation - this land.

It's proud about values for which it stands.

So don't dare compromise our precious rights

You steer this love that compels us to fight.

Chords:

'Cause Freedom is about right to speech.

Not the ideology that they preach.

And the stones they throw at us

We use to build new.

'Cause we are JNU! We are JNU!