PaRCha - JNU - AISA material - 2008 ID-20690
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In this incident, an objection was raised when a dalit student wanted to put up a picture of Dr. Ambedkar in his room. The manner in which the hostel administration dealt with this situation reveals the open reluctance to strongly oppose a casteist mentality. By his own admission, the Chief warden treated this incident as a simple case of a mild difference of opinion of two roommates over something innocuous. The chief warden openly states that he does not see a caste dimension in this incident! .
Education is supposed to be about learning and internalizing new values. It is the responsibility of a campus to inculcate democratic values in students. In the Periyar hostel case, ideally, the Chief warden should have explained to the roommate of the dalit student that any opposition to the picture of Dr. Ambedkar reveals a casteist bias. Intolerance to a symbol of dalit assertion is the first step towards segregation. Such an attitude is plainly unconstitutional, and should not be entertained at any cost. .
Instead, the Chief warden chose to ignore the entrenched casteist mindset that this incident revealed. In his own words, he tried to negotiate, and mediate between the students. This clearly goes against the mandate of a socially sensitive institution like JNU. .
Dr. Ambedkar had warned that simply instituting laws is not enough to tackle a centuries old exploitative Brahminical caste order. .
Democracy is not a form of government, but a form of social organization.
[the formal framework of democracy] involves
an attitude of mind, and attitude of respect and equality towards their fellows. .
We are currently seeing an extremely dangerous trend in JNU, wherein attempts are being made to convert JNU into a laboratory for fanning a communal frenzy. Instead, this campus should become a laboratory were democratic secular values are inculcated. .
Join a public meeting tonight (Sep 26) at 9.30 pm, Sutlej mess on Khairlanji And The Ongoing Saga Of Atrocities On Dalits: Challenges Ahead to be addressed by Prof. Gopal Guru. .
Regarding the case of caste abuse and victimization of a dalit student in Periyar hostel, JNUSU demands that the Equal Opportunities Office looks into the matter in all its seriousness. Today, the JNUSU President went to the Periyar hostel office as per yesterdays understanding that was reached following the protest demonstration and collected the necessary documents. .
Before the warden came to the office, a student who happened to be present used unfair and objectionable language. We strongly disapprove and condemn such behaviour. We also strongly condemn the subsequent response of some of the residents of Periyar hostel belonging to the ABVP, who gathered and physically forced him out of the hostel. .
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PaRCha - JNU - AISA material - 2008 ID-20690
.
In this incident, an objection was raised when a dalit student wanted to put up a picture of Dr. Ambedkar in his room. The manner in which the hostel administration dealt with this situation reveals the open reluctance to strongly oppose a casteist mentality. By his own admission, the Chief warden treated this incident as a simple case of a mild difference of opinion of two roommates over something innocuous. The chief warden openly states that he does not see a caste dimension in this incident! .
Education is supposed to be about learning and internalizing new values. It is the responsibility of a campus to inculcate democratic values in students. In the Periyar hostel case, ideally, the Chief warden should have explained to the roommate of the dalit student that any opposition to the picture of Dr. Ambedkar reveals a casteist bias. Intolerance to a symbol of dalit assertion is the first step towards segregation. Such an attitude is plainly unconstitutional, and should not be entertained at any cost. .
Instead, the Chief warden chose to ignore the entrenched casteist mindset that this incident revealed. In his own words, he tried to negotiate, and mediate between the students. This clearly goes against the mandate of a socially sensitive institution like JNU. .
Dr. Ambedkar had warned that simply instituting laws is not enough to tackle a centuries old exploitative Brahminical caste order. .
Democracy is not a form of government, but a form of social organization.
[the formal framework of democracy] involves
an attitude of mind, and attitude of respect and equality towards their fellows. .
We are currently seeing an extremely dangerous trend in JNU, wherein attempts are being made to convert JNU into a laboratory for fanning a communal frenzy. Instead, this campus should become a laboratory were democratic secular values are inculcated. .
Join a public meeting tonight (Sep 26) at 9.30 pm, Sutlej mess on Khairlanji And The Ongoing Saga Of Atrocities On Dalits: Challenges Ahead to be addressed by Prof. Gopal Guru. .
Regarding the case of caste abuse and victimization of a dalit student in Periyar hostel, JNUSU demands that the Equal Opportunities Office looks into the matter in all its seriousness. Today, the JNUSU President went to the Periyar hostel office as per yesterdays understanding that was reached following the protest demonstration and collected the necessary documents. .
Before the warden came to the office, a student who happened to be present used unfair and objectionable language. We strongly disapprove and condemn such behaviour. We also strongly condemn the subsequent response of some of the residents of Periyar hostel belonging to the ABVP, who gathered and physically forced him out of the hostel. .
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