Muthu joined JNU in October 2016, and attempted to make himself at home in a university known for its vibrant environment of debates, discussion and critical thinking. Ironically, this young man found himself feeling alienated in this space. His inability to converse in English, the lingua-franca of research, left him alone in the midst of endless chatter. His friends in University of Hyderabad remember a vibrant Muthu, known to his friends as Krish, a lover of Rajinikanth movies, food and the company of friends. In Delhi, he appears to have had several acquaintances but few friends. Neither his mentors in Centre for Historical Studies (CHS) in JNU nor his peers in the university knew him well; this was evident in the series of condolence meetings organised in the university since his passing. He found his voice on social media where he spoke of the need to implement provisions meant for students like him, like the Thorat Committee Recommendations. The recommendations, released in 2011, spoke against policies that deprived other students their chances to do well in higher education. These are the restrictive policy of admission based only on viva-voce for MPhil and PhD following the University Gazette Notification in 2016 that students have been resisting ever since; and the lack of mechanisms to address cases of structural discrimination built into the system of higher education, revealed in the wake of Rohith Vemula’s death in 2016. No government, present or past, has made efforts to address the concerns let alone implement policies that concern young minds like that of Rohith and Muthu. Now, the government, following the Delhi High Court order, is bent on restricting the number of students a faculty member can mentor for higher research, further curtailing the scope of students like Rohith and Muthu from reaching the exalted spaces of knowledge and critical thinking in this country.

Meanwhile, the ruling government and its agents are busy defending their actions that repeatedly lead to students dropping out of universities, failing to complete their courses, or committing suicide out of sheer frustration at the innumerable hurdles placed in their path. In response to Muthu’s suicide, Union Minister Pon. Radhakrishnan callously claimed, “…(these incidents) have been happening at many places for the last 60 years… I will not accept (the accusation) that this (death) has happened because of the BJP coming to power.” Another Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has promised to provide adequate compensation for the death of a student and consider jobs for his sisters. The magnanimity of those in power extends only as far as floral tributes, cash money, and opportune photos published for publicity. Muthu, in a Facebook post days before he decided to end his life clearly states, “When equality is denied, everything is denied.” Today, equality and humanity are both being denied to lives like that of Muthu and Rohith when we fail to see the root of the structure that perpetuates this violence.
 

GSCASH Notice dated March 16th 2017

The Delhi Police, in its characteristic style, is busy portraying this death as a case of suicide due to ‘depression’ and ‘personal reasons’. Several well known scholars, intellectuals and commentators are keen to probe the personal life of Muthu, his relationship with his friends, his interests and even his intellect. Besides insinuations of a possible failed affair, rumours spread of an alleged charge of sexual harassment against the deceased Muthu. The salacious details implied in slanderous presumptions around the deceased student was such that the Gender Sensatising Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) in JNU issued a statement refuting these claims. Meanwhile, Makarand Paranjape, a professor of JNU, wrote an op-ed insinuating that the lack of rational thinking and intellect leads to such deaths. He says, "One of the problems is that many disadvantaged students are fed on ideological myths, rather than encouraged to develop real competence in their chosen fields of study." In the midst of all this, the Vice Chancellor and drumbeating autocrat of JNU deigns to tweet his regret at the death of a student in the institution that he heads. Meanwhile, the Centre of Historical Studies (CHS) to which Muthu belonged is scrambling to come to terms with this death. Students are shocked and in rage, the teachers are grief-stricken, while Muthu’s father is at a loss to explain what he could have done to save his son.

 
Image: Hindustan Times

In the midst of all this, it becomes our responsibility to revisit the ways in which this can be read and addressed. For this, the Thorat Committee Recommendations help articulate what we have known for generations. The UPA government had constituted a committee headed by Prof Sukhadeo K Thorat to look into allegations of differential treatment of SC/ST students in All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS), a fully funded institution directly under the Central government. After interviewing students, teachers and staff the committee report says, “Given the relational nature of such experiences it is often difficult to capture the nature of discrimination. The self reported experiences of SC/ST students indicate that discrimination take the form of avoidance, contempt, non-cooperation, and discouragement and differential treatment by teachers towards these students.” The report, an archive of cases of discrimination, goes on to say, “Subjectivity apart, the problem seems to be deep rooted. This relates to the very attitude of the some high caste teachers, if not all, who carry with them the attitude of non-cooperation, and at times of contempt, which result in differential treatment towards SC/ST students. From the self experience of the students it seems clear that SC/ST students live with feeling that the teachers don’t treat them on par with other students, that they are not equally supported by teachers, that they face differential treatment from the teachers, often involving contempt by higher teachers. This created a feeling of insecurity, frustration, psychological problems leading to withdrawal and helplessness. All of this resulted in social isolation and ultimately failure in examinations.” Suggesting pro-active measures to address this discrimination built into the structure of the institution, the committee recommended, “The educational institutions are required to undertake remedial coaching for SC and ST students to improve their language skill and also remedial courses in the basic courses so that they are able to cope up with the regular course.” Recognising that it is difficult to capture caste bias as it is embedded in social relations and behavior, the committee recommended that the institution undertake measures to make the faculty more sensitive towards the problems faced by SC/ST students. The steps suggested to fight caste bias included an increase in objective evaluation and more transparency in practical and viva evaluations.

A year ago, the UGC issued a circular dated March 1st 2016 on “Prevention of Caste based discrimination in Higher Educational Institutions”. This circular regulates that faculty members should desist from discrimination on the basis of caste, provide a mechanism so complaints may be registered on a page on the institutions website, and be sensitive while dealing with such cases of discrimination, especially in the case of ragging where it is clearly stated that “complaints…must be recorded properly and dealt with promptly”.  The question that needs to be raised here is how far are these regulations being followed? When will the Thorat Committee Recommendations be implemented? And, when will we dare to accept that discrimination exists and recognise that we need to call it out before yet another life is snuffed out?

Vidhya is part of the Editorial Collective at the Indian Cultural Forum.

This article was first published on Indian Cultural Forum
 

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It was 2 p.m in the afternoon, and, as usual, I was in the library. That day I was fasting with my brothers Mir and John. I was thinking of participating in a relay hunger strike with our professors at the velivada. Arpita had told me that Radhika amma is coming to support the relay hunger strike of Professors Rathnam and Tathagata. I do not know why, I strongly felt that I should meet Radhika amma that day. For the past six months she has been besieged with all kinds of challenges. Problems with health and the opposition from the government and the party in power. It was the 153rd day and I have been sleeping less and less. I have been disturbed with the memories of our beloved, “special guy” like Sudipto says, Mr. Rohith Vemula Chakravarthy. I try to spend all the time reading and learning to write in English. And sometimes work to implement the decisions of the JAC – UOH.

On June 17. The same date (January) Rohith went to the stars. I stepped out of the HCU main gate and parked my cycle at the bus stop. The site for the relay hunger strike was situated right in front of the substitute main gate. As far as I remember, the gate was never opened. Slowly I walked towards velivada. To the left there was a tiny platform on which the people supporting the hunger strike sat. Professor Ramudu, who had just resigned from an administrative post, was among them. First, I wished all of them with a smile. Then I looked at the unopened main gate, it was surrounded by unwanted plants, and went inside the tent. Along with the relay hunger strike banner, a blue coloured poster was hanging with slogans “Arrest Apparao Podile” and “Revoke Illegal Suspension” and “Apply SC/ST PoA Act” etc. Everybody sat on a jute mat. There was no power for audio facilities, so the organizers managed to take it from Prof. Joby’s Wagon R battery. The cable from the car went above the jute mat.

Radhika amma, mother of Rohith anna, was sitting there, but there was no space next to her. I awaited for five minutes and chatted with Ramji and Raja anna. Ratnam sir and Tathagat sir were engaged in a discussion with some social organization leaders from outside, about the future plan of action. Both the professors were wearing a blue coloured T-shirt, Ambedkar’s face sketched on it in white color, which amma offered them to wear. Ratnam sir was explaining everything in English, and in Telugu for Radhika amma. By that time I found a place near Radhika amma, I sat along with her.

For few minutes I was admiring amma. What if she was my mother. Amma was sitting sideways, with her right hand on the chin. She was keenly listening to Ratnam sir’s speech. She was wearing a saree with a mix of black, light green and white colours, with black dots and a design of white flowers. Her hair had a lot of newly grown white hair. She was wearing red color bangles on her hands. In front of her there was a garland, which they offered for hunger strike participants. It was the fourth day of relay hunger strike after the suspension of two faculties. While looking at her tired tailoring foot, I asked amma, “How is your health amma? Did you come from Guntur?”. She said “yes babu”. Then she asked me “Have you met Rohith?”

I said “Yes amma, I met him one day before his demise.” It was around 8.PM. Rohith was sitting on the cement bench that is now on the left side of the velivada. One of the tent ropes is tied to the corner of that bench. He was looking at his mobile phone. We used to call each other Anna. We both asked each other, “Anna, have you had dinner?” Rohith said, “I will have it later anna”. He was wearing a blue and grey coloured jerkin. After that we spoke about the movement and he said “Our first stage of democratic protest is vellivada, later we will go for hunger strike etc.” I said, “Then I will also join with you anna, and he said “Thank you, anna”. I said goodnight and left.

The next day I was sitting at the shop com and from there I saw the Health Centre ambulance entering into the C hostel road. I thought somebody might have had some serious health problem. Thereafter I have seen two Innova police cars. Then I thought may be there was a clash. But suddenly a mob rushed towards the C hostel road and towards the NRS hostel.  Then our friends thought that somebody might have attempted suicide. Two of my friends went on the bike to check out. They came with the sad news that Rohith killed himself. Then we all went to the NRS hostel, where we saw Rohith’s body on the freezer.

I did not want to hurt her by recalling Rohith’s memories. I remembered myself with Rohith. I met Rohith six times. First time, I met Rohith at the south-campus shop com during a protest rally from the north campus. He was wearing a light gray color shirt, while me and prashanth  was in a black shirt. He was enthusiastically raising slogans. That time I wondered why I never raised slogans. May be the language barrier, I told myself. But I was amazed with his leadership skills.

Second time I met Rohith was near the NRS mess on the way to Dickens room. Rohith was coming from opposite side. “Anna, very soon we are going to organize a GBM, so please do come and bring our friends. And take some responsible post this time,” he told me. I said, “Anna, our people are working hard but why are we not winning?”. I remembered the 2013 Students Union elections. Rohith said, “No anna, this time surely we are going to  win. We will continue our hard work, and our life is always a struggle. People are watching who is really helping the student community.” That was the time the ASA fought for early entrance examination and had debated with the VC to bring out the waiting list candidates for admission. It was exactly three months before the victory of Vincent Benny as the President of the Students Union in 2014.

The third time I met Rohith was at the Masjid Banda roundabout with brother Ramji. Rohith and I smiled at each other. He said, “Anna, tomorrow we have a GBM, so please come. The last time you did not come”. I said, “It is ok anna, you seniors decide, I will accept and agree whatever the decision”. Rohith said, “No, no anna, this time we have changed the approach. Everybody should participate and we will democratically elect our association body, please come”. But there was a rumour I heard from people that many of them and me too,wanted brother Ramji as the ASA president. I simply congratulated brother Ramji and left from there.

After that for quite a long time I did not meet Rohith. I was busy with my course work and semester exams. I was not even aware of their suspension. Meanwhile I met brother Seshu at the SSB canteen while he was having breakfast. I asked seshu anna, “Why are you having breakfast here anna? Is the mess card closed or you got up late?” Then Seshu Anna told me, “Arey, we got suspended, you don’t know?” He told me the names of the other four suspended brothers. After a week, one day before the “Occupy HCU admin”, I was going to the library via shop com. From velivada, Prasanth called me first. Sunkanna and Vijay anna were sitting on the bench nearby. Rohith was sitting inside the vellivada. Munna was standing next to him. Munna gave me a bunch of pamphlets to distribute in the library. First time I had seen the name in black bold letters: “Joint Action Committee For Social Justice”. I told Munna that we don’t need so many for the library. I took some pamphlets and I was not really interested. Suddenly Rohith said, “Anna, we have to struggle wholeheartedly, otherwise we cannot revoke this illegal suspension.” Immediately I took some more pamphlets and on the way I read it and distributed those in the library and the reading room. That was the fourth time I met Rohith.

After a fortnight,  I was coming to my room from the library, around 11.45 pm. On the way to my hostel, I crossed shopcom, and from the road I saw  two guys sleeping inside the velivada. There was no light at the shopcom. But there was a ray of light coming from the ATM that covered the shop com. I went to the velivada and found Seshu anna and Rohith sleeping. Those two were struggling with mosquitoes. Seshu anna was fully covered with bed sheet, while Rohith was not. Rohith slightly moved his body, and slapped the mosquito on his left face and arms. Rohith was trying to find who I am, three time he looked at me and the last time he silently whispered, “goodnight”, and I too wished the same and went away.

The sixth time was also the last time I had met him. At least once everyday I remember this. And I can feel the pain of an innocent mother. Because my mother used to say, “For our community, boys are the wealth. They are going to study and earn and help, not only their family but our community as a whole.”Dear anti-nationals, this country killed the son of an innocent mother. They said “Bharat Mata has lost her son”. But they hurt the mother by questioning her caste and identity. Can she really support their nationalism after this injustice?

Dear anti-nationals, let me tell you, one day this nation’s leader is going to sell all. Just for a selfie and for a standing ovation from the outsiders. Hundreds and hundreds of Dappa Rao’s are going to kill thousands of Rohiths and they are going to say, “He/She was a gifted student”. All the  intellectuals from the marginalised communities will get arrested just for mocking fictional characters. At the same time, all the leading national institutes will be headed by people who cannot even clear the 10th standard exam. These people claim dissenters as anti-nationals and seditious. They are going to kill many Rohiths, like us, just for eating beef, for being rational, for being intellectually productive for the country. But we are the real sons of this land and after we are all killed, there will be no nation.

What are you waiting for to support an innocent mother?

Let us all, students from all over the world, become Radhika amma’s Rohith by supporting this anti-caste movement. Let us fight together to help the helpless mother. The mother of this universe.

PC: JAC-UOH, Arpita, Munna.

This article was first published on India Resists

The post Rajini’s blog that he wrote after meeting Radhika Vemula: “a universal mother without a nation” appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The 27-year-old Rajini Krish reportedly committed suicide due to depression. He was a student of MPhil in JNU.

Police found his body hanging from the ceiling fan when cops arrived in Munirka in south Delhi.

In his last Facebook post, Krish wrote, “When equality is denied everything is denied. By saying Prof Sukhdeo thorat looking for the questions in the conference organized by UDSF in the SSS -1 Auditorium, behind Prof. Throat the white colour projector screen recalled Jeeva’s son memories about screen. From the 70mm new screen Jeeva’s son watching the Tamil Movie “Pithamagan”. After the movie ,the lights areon, screen became white, it was first day first show “Pithamagan”. Basically Jeeva’s son came to buy Maana in the Kitchippalyam , after the Dry fish flyover Maana market.”

No suicide note has been found till now, police said.

Till now no evidence has been found that the extreme step was taken by the student owing to any issues at the university, said a senior police officer.

He is said to have been depressed for sometime over some personal issues, he added.

A PCR call was received at 5.05 PM today that a person had locked himself in a room at a house in Munirka Vihar, said a senior police officer.

On reaching the spot, police forced open the door as a portion of the latch was uprooted from inside, he said. A young man was found hanging from the ceiling fan.

The crime team was called at the spot and the scene was inspected and photographed.

“He had come to his friends’ house this afternoon to have food. He said he wanted to sleep and went to a room and locked himself inside. “Later his friends called him out and on getting no response, they called the police,” he was quoted by PTI.
 
Here’s the full text of his Facebook post.

“When equality is denied everything is denied. By saying Prof Sukhdeo thorat looking for the questions in the conference organized by UDSF in the SSS -1 Auditorium, behind Prof. Throat the white colour projector screen recalled Jeeva’s son memories about screen. From the 70mm new screen Jeeva’s son watching the Tamil Movie “Pithamagan”. After the movie ,the lights areon, screen became white, it was first day first show “Pithamagan”. Basically Jeeva’s son came to buy Maana in the Kitchippalyam , after the Dry fish flyover Maana market.

After packing Maana in the Black colour plastic bag Jeeva’s son Walks through Old bus stand road, then he hooks the right, right side Oreiental Shakthi theatre, after a while he reached Laxmi Ice cream shop. From the shop everyone looking at the black carry bag. It is very obvious that the big black colour carry bag is for only parcelling Maana those days. Suddenly people turns the faces. With that 5kg Maana parcel, Jeeva’s son reached Salem Old bus stand clock house, then he was waiting for Satthiram, Lee bazaar route buses, Suddenly one of his school friend Ramana came near to him, Ramana supposed to get down in the 4 Roads bus stop.

Jeeva’s son thought, he can talk to Ramana till 4 Roads, but when the moment Ramana seen the Black carry bag, he started to look for some other bus, he did not even give face to him. Jeeva’s son entered inside the 6 A sathiram route bus.

Middle of the bus right side window seat, Jeeva son watching the road side shops. Salem Collector Office, opposite situated the Salem Government Hospital bus stop. An officer entered inside the bus after looking at the Black Maana cover, the officer did not sit with Jeeva’s son though there was a place and no other vacancy in the bus. After the Government Hospital, the bus claimed the flyover, after the flyover, Klapana Theatre bus stop, which is opposite to the Salem Anna Park. From the Park a couple came into the bus, they were searching for seat to sit with their 3 year old kid. Jeeva’s son want to stand from 4 Roads to Sathiram Bus stop since there is nobody to talk with him, so for them he woke up and gave place, but both of them did not sit after seeing the Black carry bag, now the Maana smell broadcasted throughout the bus, nobody sat on the seat till 4 Roads.

After 4 Roads Jeeva’s son foot boarded with other passenger’s From 4 Roads to Thammannnan Chetty road, other passenger’s angry on him just for the Maana bag, now the smell is very clear, some crushed him on the foot. Jeeva’s son walked through the Sathiram to Lee bazar road. Jeeva’s son intent to walk right side, to see the people’s reaction. Many people turned aside, and crossed opposite side, after seeing the Maana carry bag. In those days there was no equality for Maana, but nowadays there is no maana , that is to say there is no equality.

There is no Equality in M.phil/phd Admission, there is no equalitiy in Viva – voce, there is only denial of equality, denying prof. Sukhadeo thorat recommendation, denying Students protest places in Ad – block, denying the education of the Marginal’s. When Equality is denied everything is denied.”

Courtesy: Janta Ka Reporter
 

The post A year after Rohit Vemula’s death, another Dalit PhD student commits suicide in JNU appeared first on SabrangIndia.