Rohith Vemula’s suicide should compel us to debate if universities and colleges should allow students to group themselves under labels that reflect political affiliations or caste, religious and community identities
While there have been many suspensions, many suicides, irrespective of class and caste by students all across the country, few have received such extensive media coverage as the recent suicide of a young Dalit scholar, Rohith Vemula, at Hyderabad University. Nor has the political class flocked to the site, to fish in troubled waters in such hordes as after the suicide of Rohith Vemula. So, what has caused the present hysteriaIJ
Rohith Vemula’s suicide has caused so much heart-burn due to two factors. First, some letters were written by two Union Ministers, Mr Bandaru Dattatreya and Ms Smriti Irani, on the issue. Second, the affected student was a Dalit.
These two factors, when seen in combination, provide rich fodder to chastise the Modi Government and engage in identity politics the twin weapons that the media and the Opposition love to wield. But how far are these factors really crucial to this caseIJ
It is a well-known fact that the head an institution, be it a college or a university, funded either by the Union or State Government, usually sits not just on a hot but a scorching seat. Political pressure in areas of student admissions, staff and faculty appointments, and law and order issues is significant. As the people’s representatives and given their position within the electorate, politicians will inevitably respond to redresses, brought to their notice, by trying to intervene or by asking for an enquiry. But the buck for all actions, taken within the institution, stops with the head of the institution.
Hence, while investigating the turmoil at Hyderabad University, the letters by the two Ministers have to be treated as immaterial, even if they are unfortunate. Only then can there by a fair probe, and also, the diversionary politicisation of the issue avoided.
It is the vice chancellor who has to come clean on the nature of the misconduct committed by a certain section of students and the procedures followed for conducting an investigation. Only then can we assess whether the recommended and executed punishment was in proportion to the misconduct and whether any caste prejudice was at play.
It is indeed unfortunate that a section of students within the university thought it worthwhile to stage a protest against the hanging of a convicted terrorist. It smacks of coercion from stakeholders of divisive politics outside the university.
And these stakeholders are now finding excuses in the argument that the protest was only against capital punishment. Would they have arranged for or staged a protest against rapists who receive capital punishmentIJ Or can the legitimacy of capital punishment not be discussed in principle without reference to one select individualIJ
Of course, they have a second argument, and in this they can be sure of instant and abundant media support. They ask: Shouldn’t there be space for dissent in an academic university they askIJ This, in fact, is this writer’s primary concern.
Academia is a place where academic decorum must take precedence. By all means, students and faculty members can engage with the most provocative of issues, but this should only be in the discussion and discursive formats. The moment the ideology or point of view is expressed in the form of marches, processions, placards and posters, they cease to be academic, and become entrenched in the politics of assertion. This then opens up the possibility of backlash.
Universities and colleges should debate whether they should allow students to group themselves under banners and labels that reflect their affiliations with political parties or their social identities of caste, religion and community. Such grouping necessarily prevents the individual from developing into a free, open-minded and reflective citizen and this is the primary purpose of higher education — because he or she will be trapped and over-powered by the larger group identity.
Even student elections should be funded by the institution so that students seeking office will not have to subscribe to identity politics in order to get financial and other kinds of muscle support from the outside for their campaign.
leadership qualities within the university should be exhibited in addressing problems that pertain to conditions on campus, such as wuith regard to academics, lodging, disciplinary and other local issues.
Can the media come out of its self-congratulatory missionary zeal, born of premature conclusions regarding the caste angle, and the culpability of the Union Government, as also its obfuscation of the voice of the other side, and conduct a more professional and dispassionate investigation of the unfortunate and tragic events at Hyderabad UniversityIJ
(The writer is former Principal of Gargi College, University of Delhi)