The Deafening Silence

The Central University of Hyderabad is back in news again.  And, nothing that seems to be emanating is either encouraging or heartening.  The return of the Vice Chancellor, after a prolonged absence on personal grounds – possibly, investigation into his role in abetting Rohith Vemula’s suicide being one of the reasons – resulted in a pandemonium; students immediately have risen up in protest.  But, what has followed is not just baffling but is downright inhuman.  Students have been mercilessly beaten up, with one even ending up in the ICU, molested; even professors not spared.  And, scores have been rounded up and put behind bars and continue to stay there without being produced before the judiciary, and hence with little chance for bail.  A friend too – Moses Tulasi – has been taken into custody; Moses is a budding film-maker and was at the campus to film the happenings. 

I just was surfing through various news channels online of mainstream media, to see what kind of coverage has this been receiving, only to draw a blank from most places, barring the Indian Express.  Even NDTV – which was at the forefront of reporting during the JNU crisis – is strangely quiet.  The only news that one can get are from sources like the Wire or student updates.  There is a media blackout at the University, along with blocking of internet, and even hostel mess.  All this only points fingers at the establishment with the suspicion that it was all meticulously planned and executed.  1000s of policemen do not appear on the campus all of a sudden at the outset of a student unrest.  Nor are students beaten up mercilessly even while not protesting – they have been even picked up on the charge of ‘cooking in public place’. 

Colleges and universities are places for not just literacy but all-round education and learning.  Education and learning encompass experimenting with different ideas – both old and new – and embracing a philosophy for a life ahead.  And, universities have always been places of action – student unrest is just a thought away.  It is not a new thing that a VC has been gheraoed – most of us would have witnessed these during our student days.  Many of us might have been active participants too.  Not always have students been right either – or wrong.  But, that does not make it correct to take away their right to protest or to let police run riot in a university campus.  The students might have been wrong – there are reports alleging that they pelted stones at the officials and the police, which could be made-up stories too to defend the reprehensible action – but punishing them without trial is a no-no.  Nor, allowing the police to unleash terror on the campus.  There are allegations of women students being molested apart from use of excessive force.  What has been made worse is that dozens of students and a few faculty members have been taken into custody and they were produced before a magistrate at late-night to escape from the habeas-corpus writs.  Those who have been trying hard to follow-up on the arrested students have reported that there has been abuse in their detention too. 

One, the governments are becoming less and less tolerant of criticism and are willing to use force to impose their views and get their way.  FTII, JNU and HCU are examples of the spreading malaise, with the HCU students bearing the worst so far.  And, the advice emanating from those governing too has been childish.  Public opinion too is being influenced with canards like wasting tax payers’ money and anti-national behavior.  These do not behoove well for the future – as the future leaders of the nation are today’s students.  It is time for the governments to let the students be and find their political moorings.  Repression is not the answer.

Two, there is an urgent need for police reforms.  We need to have rules that restrict police action against protesting mobs – students or otherwise – with any kind of force; restraint should be the first lesson that police needs to be taught. It is time that the Supreme Court itself take up this matter and address it; possibly draw some guidelines for all the states to implement.  The police is there to protect the ordinary citizens – students included.  And, not to cause fear. The stories of police atrocities that were only heard from the distant areas are now ringing true in our living rooms too, thanks to their entry into college campuses.  If they have gained entry there, tomorrow it could be our homes too – uninvited.  Because we hold a different opinion.  This needs to stop and stop right now.

I have not touched upon the roots of trouble at the HCU.  That would require another piece – and a lot more reading from my side.  Safe to say, it is the disadvantaged that are always targeted first.  In the meantime, I hope and pray that all those that have been remanded to judicial custody are released at the earliest.  And, that better sense prevails in the state government – which currently has distanced itself from the actions – and it advises that all cases against the students the faculty arrested are withdrawn unconditionally.  And, that there shall be an unbiased inquiry into the happenings at the HCU. 

Post-Script: I read the interview of Prof. Podile Appa Rao, VC, HCU in the Scroll.  I curled with distaste at the hypocrisy.