From being a kingmaker in Haryana to serving as Deputy CM from October 2019 to March 2024, and now alleging intimidation by a Crime Branch officer, Dushyant Chautala’s political journey has taken a turbulent turn.Over a year and a half since his Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) suffered a steep electoral decline and drew a blank in the 2024 Assembly polls, Dushyant appears to be recalibrating his strategy, repositioning himself as a vocal advocate of youth by using the unrest at Guru Jambeshwar University of Science and Technology as a springboard for political revival.AdvertisementThe immediate trigger for the unrest dates back to mid-April, when the university administration allegedly denied permission for a student programme linked to a JJP-affiliated group. Students protested, accusing authorities of stifling democratic expression. The situation escalated as demonstrators, led by JJP’s state youth president and Dushyant’s younger brother Digvijay Chautala, intensified their agitation, reportedly forcing entry into administrative premises and clashing with the police.Authorities responded with detentions and multiple FIRs against students and political workers, invoking charges such as rioting and damage to public property — actions Opposition leaders have termed excessive.Changing tracksThis renewed activism comes in the backdrop of a significant electoral setback. In the Haryana Assembly elections, the JJP — which had won 10 seats in 2019 and played a pivotal role in government formation — failed to win a single seat and saw its vote share drop sharply from 14.9% in 2019 to less than 1%.AdvertisementThe BJP, which won 48 of the state’s 90 seats, formed the government, while the Congress emerged as the principal Opposition with 37 seats.Against this backdrop, developments in Hisar suggest a deliberate attempt by Dushyant to rebuild political relevance by tapping into youth discontent and grassroots mobilisation.Sensing a chanceDushyant, a former Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MP from Hisar (2014–2019), sensed an opportunity to reconnect with a drifting support base. Along with Digvijay, he stepped in to back the protesters. The brothers visited police stations, raised questions over the crackdown, and framed the issue as one of “youth rights versus state repression”. What began as a campus issue soon spilled into the wider political arena in Hisar.The agitation at the university reached a new pitch on Monday with a large “Chhatra Hit Mahapanchayat (students’ welfare mahapanchayat)” at Krantiman Park in Hisar. The gathering drew khap representatives, student bodies, and political leaders from across the region. A 31-member committee was constituted to pursue students’ demands, while khap leaders issued a five-day ultimatum to the government, warning of larger mobilisation if no action was taken.“Representatives of several khaps, social groups, political leaders, and student organisations came together to deliberate on the problems being faced by students. If the government does not take appropriate steps soon, another major panchayat will be organised and a significant decision will be taken,” said Anant Ram Tanwar, chairman of the Mahapanchayat.Among the prominent voices at the Mahapanchayat was Independent MP from Bihar’s Purnia, Pappu Yadav, who said he would raise the issue in Parliament. Invoking leaders such as Devi Lal and Chaudhary Charan Singh, Yadav called for a united fight to ensure access to education and criticised the BJP government over employment and education policies.At the Mahapanchayat, Dushyant framed the controversy in ideological terms, alleging “saffronisation” of educational institutions and claiming dissenting voices were being suppressed through state machinery.“Through seminars in institutions, an ideology is being taught to limit the thinking of students. BJP meetings are also being held in universities. I appealed to all khap representatives attending the Mahapanchayat that there is a need to save the education system. Whenever someone raises their voice against the government’s wrong policies, the state machinery is used to suppress them,” Dushyant said.Echoing this, Digvijay criticised the police response, saying students were being treated “like terrorists” over minor incidents and reiterating the demand for direct student union elections. “Treating students like terrorists merely for raising their voice and for the breaking of two flower pots is completely unjustified. People from outside Haryana are being appointed to high positions in the state. It is time that direct student union elections are held in Haryana,” he said.Student concernsStudent organisations have raised a broad set of concerns, including rising fees, privatisation of education, lack of hostel facilities, harassment, and police cases against protesters. They have argued that education is becoming increasingly unaffordable and accused the government of allowing commercial interests to dominate the sector.Political temperatures rose further after Dushyant alleged a direct confrontation with officials of the Hisar Crime Branch, claiming his convoy was intercepted and his security personnel were threatened.you may likeThe police have, however, maintained that their actions were in line with law-and-order requirements. The episode added a personal and dramatic dimension to Dushyant’s campaign, with a video of him attempting to climb onto a police vehicle going viral on social media.A few Congress MLAs also supported him and condemned the police action. The state government, however, has consistently maintained through the administration that police action was necessary after protests turned violent, with FIRs filed over damage to public property and disruption on campus.Former BJP state president Subhash Barala said a thorough investigation should be conducted into the episode.