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29 Jan 2016

Chapter ONE- 'Rohith Vemula'- an ode to the lost child:

Isn't there any SOLUTION to put an end to the caste based discrimination among the campuses in India?

Introduction:
As for now, we had been going through enough number of debates and discussions on behalf of the death of Rohith Vemula (Research Student, Hyderabad Central University). Statistics shows that around Eight Dalit students from the UoH (University of Hyderabad) itself have already committed suicide in the past decade. Why did they not make much into the headlines of national level newspapers and channels? Is it just because Rohith Vemula have done the same thing in a different way, leaving a powerful letter behind? Or is it to be considered as yet another shadow political mockery move to win the political war prior to the elections in Bihar, WB etc. by bracketing the names of Union Ministers Bandaru Dattareya and Smriti Irani within the black list adhering to the issue?
This is not the right time to do a post mortem on the incident just on the basis of political backgrounds. Let us focus on the matter of caste discrimination whether it be a part of this or not. It is ironical that India has just celebrated its 67th Republic Day while such issues happen on the other side of the society which itself reveals that it is already a high time to have a check into the issues of caste discrimination and untouchability prevailing in various layers of the society even now.
We know that we live in a society where the one who brought out the statements called 'annihilation of caste' himself had to admire Buddhism thereafter. Debates, discussions and endless protests won't be able to take us much ahead unless we try to bring some effective changes in the conventional perceptions regarding various matters appending to caste discrimination. We should do a little sort of introspection as well as retrospection at the same time.
Let us try to seek some ways to resolve the problem from some other angle of thoughts and perceptions.

The Adulterated Matter Of Religion:
It is a fact that Hinduism is not any religion which was evolved out from something, but is still evolving out from a complex culture of living practices and rituals. It was developed primly along the Indus, through which it had been weathering since thousands of years to become a well formed set up. Castes and sub castes (say Varnas) were initially defined on the basis of the profession one does. These are the truths which people often hesitate to understand. However, Hinduism is considered as a religion. Once upon a time, there was a fake belief that one can make an escape from being a Dalit or a discriminated community member (say any) just by changing one's religion from Hinduism to Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Jainism or any other. Obviously, it was a true fact that such people who had undergone  a religious translation, by stepping out  from Hinduism were mostly able to make a progressive line of life thereafter. However, this trend was later misunderstood by many a number of Dalits. There were times when parents were ready to accept a bride or groom from some other religion but weren't ready to accept someone from a lower caste (as it is said to be) even if he or she belongs to the same religion! The crazy logic acts like "I prefer my daughter getting married to some thief from some other religion to marrying some guy who was born to a toilet cleaner". But, it is admirable that these days, things are changing positively in various places (Especially cities) which shows a ray of hope.

However, we do not need to talk about such things in this 21st century since it has become a matter of irrelevance.The bug in the code is that it is still wagging its tail as a matter of 'relevance' which should not be encouraged anymore. Unfortunate incidents like that of Rohith's prove that it has still got relevance in the current world. Problems started rising when religious norms and systems started becoming more and more politicized in an unhealthy manner. Things became vulnerable and insecure to a further level when bureaucracies started finding its own way to take a pivotal seat undermining the aesthetic principles of religion, say any.

The Blindfolded Act of Valour:
Though suicide can never be a solution for anything but Rohith's deed is being circulated and propagated in such a way that it tends to pass a message to other vulnerable youngsters to go with the same sheep thereby encouraging suicides in such a way that you can become a celebrity after death and people will pay you for all your misfortunes. It promotes the fake logic that you can experience a larger than life experience after your death which would be a motivation for other Dalit students facing worst than death situations in their life. Remember, Rohith Vemula is not a martyr, but a helpless victim of a social evil. Youngsters should note the point that there is a big difference between fighting until death and fighting by death. In the near future, the public will see the real chain pullers who are going to make huge gains out from the death of Rohith Vemula and the deluge of protests being followed.

Rohith's suicide is not merely the end of a debacle but it is to be considered as a wake up call for justice. As per the global statistics, the elements like depression, over-reaction and suicide tendency among the current world youngsters is said to be increasing dynamically. There should be a whole-hearted effort to curb such issues with more humane and psychological approach. Moral studies and ethics should be taught from school level itself by making social awareness and communal harmony as the core subjects. It should be taught as a practice to inculcate the culture of peacefulness among the coming generation apart from the conventional method of teaching ethics just using a text book. Some amount of spirituality and philosophy can also be brought into the campuses. It could be done in par with the Yoga movement and Swatchh Bharat mission as well.
Suggestible Educational and Socio-Political Reforms:
The importance being given to the caste, sub caste and the sub-sub caste should be reduced to a considerable level when it comes to the 'INSIDE CAMPUS' life.

-The system of allotting separate hostel rooms and accommodation facilities for General, OBC and SC/ST students should be terminated strictly.

-The reservation details are to be used only for technical admission procedures. Thereafter, it should not be allowed to mark a schematic presence at any magnified levels within a campus. Faculties and students need not get to know each others' caste or creed unless one reveals it willingly.

-One need not mention the surnames (which often includes the caste or clan name) on official documents and certificates (Unless for strict verification procedures).

Apart from all these measures, there should be a well set up political administrative system within colleges/universities which functions in a transparent and democratic way.

-Unlike, the students union and formation of political parties which we see now, were once set up from the initiatives during the times of Jayaprakash Narayan and all, the current world demands much more- out of the box systems like techno-cultural and psychological helping groups (A quasi-political system).

-Every campus should have such groups with elected representatives, incorporated with parents, teachers and eminent social workers, thinkers and advocates indeed.

-The system should act like a 'Problem Solving Hub', where students and teachers can express their views, hardships and bring them up for discussions to find a solution in a collective and pragmatic way.

-It should be brought under the jurisdiction of Supreme Court aggregating at a national level, extending to the ministry of Human Rights and welfare.

-The system should function in such a way that insults and discriminating deeds occurring at any of the campuses should be brought under the special tribunal formed under this wing and should be enquired and trialed and reports should be submitted within fourteen days so that it should never affect the academics.

Conclusion:
The above mentioned measures can either be viewed as Utopian or childish but before we ignore something by calling it as mere 'childishness', one thing we should bear in our mind is that even the uneducated children of Haryana, U.P., Bihar etc.have got enough knowledge to discriminate their  pals on the basis of sub-sub-castes while they don't even know to name the colors they find in a rainbow or they don't even know how the Indian flag looks like! Such pathetic situation still exist within the rural villages of India were the demons of discrimination rules by demarcating people on the basis of castes and sub castes. The epic tragedy is that when we come to know that such discrimination on the grounds of caste play a pivotal role in at least some of the high profiled educational institutions and prominent universities of India, which is to be taken seriously.

Rohith Vemula, the one who aspired to become Carl Sagan, ended up in being a dead poet who has written a preface to his own death. Let Rohith be a lesson for all of us including you and me. Let us not forget the ones who sacrificed or buried themselves within the ordeals of filthy caste discrimination but let us forget the discrimination itself. Already, it is too late to think. If we do not make any step ahead thinking out of the box, the Indian constitution will turn meaningless and the Indian educational system will turn worthless and the nation itself will become a buffoon before the world finding its own place next to the then apartheid era.

Sorry Mr. Rohith Chakravarti Vemula,

Hopefully,
Rahul Sharma. (rahulsharma3992@gmail.com)
JAI HIND

PS: Let the truth come to light.

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