BENGALURU: Karnataka’s minister of school education and literacy B C Nagesh dismissed prejudicial remarks by a teacher at an institute at Manipal while reacting to the recent controversy following an assistant professor allegedly referring to a student as “Kasab”, felt that it is “not so serious”. He asked why names from a particular community became a national issue, but names like “Ravana” or “Shakuni” which are so commonly used for referring, does not become an issue at all.

If politicians calling each other names like “Ravana” and “Shakuni” don’t become an issue, there’s no reason why an assistant professor allegedly referring to a student as “Kasab” should be a big deal, Karnataka primary and secondary education minister B C Nagesh said on Tuesday about the outrage sparked by the incident at Manipal Institute of Technology.

Nagesh told reporters that the teacher, seen in a video that went viral, alluding to the student as a terrorist and then facing an outburst that forced him to apologise, shouldn’t have said what he did. “But it is just politics to appeal to a vote bank,” he said, referring to the controversy that erupted even after both sides decided to bury it.

The Karnataka-based institute issued an official condemnation of the remark, besides barring the teacher from the classroom for now. “Even in the assembly, we have spoken like this many times. It doesn’t become an issue. When someone speaks about Kasab, it becomes one. Why?'” Nagesh said.

In the video, recorded by a witness, the unnamed teacher is seen defending his remark as “a joke” when confronted by the student. “26/11 isn’t funny. Being Muslim and facing such things in this country isn’t funny. How can you label me a terrorist in front of everyone in the class? ‘Sorry’ alone won’t help, sir,” the student says.

After the assistant professor insisted he didn’t mean to brand the student a terrorist, the latter shoots back, “Will you talk to your son like that? Will you call him by the name of a terrorist?” 

It is unfortunate, the incident shouldn’t have taken place, the teacher should not have used that name. But I also feel that it is not such (a) serious thing, because we use the name of Ravana for many students many times, we also use the name of Shakuni many times, but that doesn’t become an issue at all,” Nagesh said. Speaking to reporters, he said, “Why the name of (a person) who belongs to a particular community becomes an issue, I don’t know. Though the issue has been taken seriously and action has been taken against the teacher. But, why some names become a national issue, I cannot understand.”

It was on Monday, November 28, that a video showing an assistant professor in Manipal calling a student by the name “Kasab”, and the student countering it, had gone viral. Later, the professor tendered an apology. The video had gone viral on social media, and the university has debarred the faculty from classes. 

Related:

Manipal University suspends professor who made “terrorist” jibe at student

Being a Muslim in this country and facing this every day is not funny

The post ‘Not so serious’, says Karnataka education minister on teacher referring a student ‘Kasab’ appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Manipal Institute of Technology, Karnataka has ordered a probe against its Professor who made a jibe at a Muslim student and called him by the name of a terrorist. The remark infuriated the student, who called out the professor for his casual Islamophobia and this was caught on camera by another student.

Initially, the video surfaced online and it was unconfirmed that the same was from Manipal University, however the news gained traction as many news media outlets reported on the same and it was confirmed that the incident took place at Manipal University.

As this incident got reportedly widely, Manipal University administration took note and immediately debarred him from taking classes and then ordered a probe. The professor had asked the student his name, and on hearing the name, he remarked: “Oh you are like Kasab”, NDTV reported. He was referring to Ajmal Kasab who was convicted and later hanged to death on various charges including murder, for his involvement in the terrorist attacks of November 26, 2008 that happened in Mumbai.

In the video, the student can be seen defending himself and telling the professor that he cannot speak about Muslim in such a derogatory manner and the professor seemed flustered and was apologizing seeing that the student got offended by his “joke”. The student said, “it’s not funny, 26/11 was not funny, Islamic terrorism is not funny. Being a Muslim in this country and facing this everyday is not funny.”

When the professor said, you are just like my son, the student responded, “ will you talk to your son like that and call him a terrorist? How can you call me like that in front of so many people, in the class. You are a professional you are teaching. You can’t call me like that.” The professor sounded clearly embarrassed and said sorry to which the student, “Sir, sorry doesn’t change the way you think or how you portray yourself”.

This incident is nothing but a depiction of casual, legitimised, Islamophobia in our everyday discourse that we need to address and speak up against. Casual Islamophobia can take a form of stereotyping, avoiding buying goods from Muslim vendors/shops, socially distancing from Muslims, making jokes about Muslims and their culture in private circles, depicting Muslims as “villains” in popular culture, using the ‘go to Pakistan’ or ‘love jihad’ trope casually, are all subtle forms of Islamophobia that one needs to speak against.

The fact that this professor felt that it was acceptable to crack some joke about Muslim being terrorists in a classroom setting is reflective of how, we as a society, have normalized laughing at the expense of Muslim community without realizing how precarious it can be, as one can end up hurting religious sentiments; which is not only an offence under the Indian Penal Code but also stand to erode our culturally diverse society.

The prompt action from the University is welcome, demonstrating that such abhorrent remarks are unwelcome in an educational institution and could serve as a deterrent. However, the awkward amusement from fellow students who also did not speak up, is concerning.

The public relations officer at the Manipal University, SP Kar, told Scroll that the incident was unfortunate and the institution strongly condemns it.

“An enquiry committee has been set up and for now the faculty is debarred from taking the classes,” Kar said. “A suitable way forward would be taken based on the findings. We are really sorry that this kind of incident happened.”

The University even released a statement on Monday and posted on its Twitter account

MIT Manipal Response on ongoing viral video.@MAHE_Manipal pic.twitter.com/dfPZfv4CYd

— MIT MANIPAL (@MIT_MANIPAL) November 28, 2022

The University says that it prides itself with one of the biggest diversity  on campus and is committed to uphold constitutional values of treating everyone alike irrespective of their caste, religion, region, gender etc.

Related:

Being a Muslim in this country and facing this every day is not funny

46-year-old tribal man lynched in Rajasthan, CJP files complaint in NCST

Hatebuster: The real identity of the man supporting the accused Aaftab revealed!

Hindu Sena leader offers licensed swords for sale on Twitter

Hate watch: Christians attacked during Sunday mass in Chhattisgarh; 9 hospitalised 

The post Manipal University suspends professor who made “terrorist” jibe at student appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The discussion took place at Manipal in January 2015 and was published on You Tube on July 13, 2015. It remains relevant today.
 

The post Idea Exchange: Romila Thapar Answers Gopal Guru on Dharma and the Past appeared first on SabrangIndia.