Mumbai: Expressing solidarity with their counterparts at IIT Madras, one of whom were attacked for allegedly consuming beef, the students body of IIT-Bombay took out a protest march on campus on Wednesday.
A statement issued by the students body said, “We do not see this attack as a spontaneous response against an issue of local nature but as an organised effort to silence all voices rising against the Brahminical views and practices in campuses.”
The statement went on to say that there have been several incidents wherein students who talk about caste and other forms of oppression are targeted, either by the right wing political outfits or by the police. “Now, we are forced to speak up and fight back because the use of violence, intimidation, and hooliganism has spread to IITs as well,” the statement said.
The students noted that even important national institutes have not been spared from violence and suppression of fundamental rights. “This is not a mere law and order problem, but concerns the very nature of our universities and education system. Instead of becoming more democratic and open to new ideas, our universities our becoming tools of control in the hands of Brahminical fascists who have no regard for the spirit of democracy or the constitutional commitment to fundamental rights for all citizens,” they said.
The statement said the students’ struggle was not only against ‘food fascists’ and ‘moral vigilantes’ but against a larger struggle against the forceful imposition of ideas and practices, without dialogue and tolerance for dissent.
Falguni Banerjee, Public Relations Officer, IIT-Bombay, said, “The protest was not an official IIT-Bombay event. Therefore, there is no comment on the same.” The march started a little after 6 p.m. outside Hostel 12 on the campus and ended near Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management.
