Since fascist regime came into the power in 2014, it has disturbed the country and masses with incidents like lynching of Akhlaq Ahmed missing of Najeeb from JNU, custodial death of Minhaj, extra judicial killing in bhopal encounter, atrocities on Dalits in UNA, killing of Adivasies in Malkangiri, propagandist media boisterous discussions on UCC, Kashmir unrest, communalization of policies, Rohit’s institutional murder and release of fake report, rape for beef in Atali, etc. which have raised serious questions on our parliamentary democracy and citizen’s rights.
Just a couple of days remain to 17th Jan. A year on, no justice to Rohith Vemula and his family. Several backward class and weaker section students ended lives having been despaired by caste discrimination in the universities, but Rohit Vemula committed suicide to protest the caste bias he was subjected to. This triggered an iconic movement.
The failure to implement recommendations of “Thorat Committee” is a glaring example of complete lack of institutional memory in the country. Thorat Committee was constituted by the UPA government in 2007 to end discrimination of students of Dalit and marginalised sections of society in educational institutions from schools to the universities.
Even after Rohit Vemula case, unrest in the Hyderabad Central University, sedition cases against JNU students, the prejudice and bias against the marginalised sections continued. The recent suspension of 11 students of JNU for questioning the biased evaluation and examination system was not questioned even by the opposition and it hardly found space in the media. Missing of Najeeb, who disappeared from his hostel on October 15 after a brawl with ABVP members the previous night are few cases. Several incidents act as witness to the fact that there are some miscreants present in society who enjoy the sympathy of people in power. They spread communal hatred, assault the Dalits, the Adivasis, target Muslims, kidnap and kill innocents and propagate lies. This is challenging the internal security and law of the land.
“We are only good at passing laws and amendments without amending the relevant sections in CrPC and IPC. When are we actually going to challenge the prejudices based on caste and community as a society ?”
“The university is only curbing voices of dissent by not allowing outsiders and media persons from attending seminars which are democratic,” shows the failure of Telangana and the Central government in delivering justice to the late research scholar’s family.
On the other hand Hyderabad Central University (HCU) vice-chancellor Appa Rao Podile who is accused under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act has been awarded the Millennium Plaque of Honour at the recently concluded Indian Science Congress and feted by the prime minister. Never mind that his casteist indifference, cynicism and lack of empathy were on display in and through the sad and tragic sequence of events that culminated in Vemula’s death.
SIO urges student community of this country to observe January 17 as Campus Resistance Day in the wake of one year completion after Rohit Vemula’s institutional murder.
Students Islamic Organisation of India demands that a ‘Rohith Act’ be introduced and implemented which will ensure legislative protection for students from marginalised communities in higher educational institutions.