Everyone hanging on to the idea of a democratic and plural India has been heartened by the frank words with which a young Muslim student in a reputed institute of technology in the state of Karnataka in southern India answered the instructor who seems to have “joked” in class that given his Muslim name the student might be a terrorist like Kasab.
The teacher’s metaphor recalled Ajmal Kasab, the Pakistani who was captured after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai on 26 November 2008 and after a trial executed in 2012. Taken by another student, the video of the young man’s response has gone viral. https://thewire.in/communalism/video-manipal-institute-of-technology-kasab-muslim-student-teacher
I was heartened equally if not more by this statement issued by the Manipal Institute of Technology:
“The institute has already initiated an inquiry into the incident and the concerned staff has been debarred from classes till the inquiry is over… [T]he institute does not condone this kind of behaviour… The institute prides itself with one of the biggest diversity on campus and is committed to uphold our constitutional values of treating everyone alike, irrespective of their caste, religion, region, gender etc.”
An obvious statement that any educational institution in a democracy would make? No, sir, not in today’s India. The words of its constitution notwithstanding, publicly committing oneself or one’s institution to treating everyone alike is a courageous act in the India of 2022, where Muslim-bashing (and Christian-bashing) is the norm, and where the Hindu majority are being ceaselessly exhorted to humiliate their Muslim (and Christian) compatriots, evidently in order to avenge supposed wrongs committed some centuries back. Hindus who constitute 80 percent of the population are also being taught to see themselves as victims, and their Muslim fellow citizens as disloyal troublemakers and possible terrorists.
I therefore offer hearty thanks to the Manipal institute’s authorities. Contrast their stand with the shocking reaction of B. C. Nagesh, education minister of BJP-run Karnataka. This is “not a big issue,” Nagesh commented, adding, “Almost everyone uses words like Ravan every day. Even in the assembly, many times we’ve spoken like this. Why does it become an issue when someone speaks about Kasab?”
The education minister of Karnataka, no less, is thus saying that it is not a big deal if before an entire class a teacher humorously tells a Muslim student that he could be a terrorist like Kasab or a demon like Ravan. The minister’s remark shows the comfort and security with which Muslims are shamed in today’s India.
For the record it should be stated (a) that the minister agreed that the instructor should not have made the offensive “joke” and (b) that the Manipal student seems willing, following an apology from the teacher, to close the chapter. But I have seen no public condemnation of the teacher’s joke by any BJP leader or prominent Hindu figure. Putting down Muslims is now seen as a “natural” and “understandable” reaction.
To what? To the excesses of a ruler 350 years ago? To the fact that until the British conquered India in the 18th century Muslims had ruled India for long periods? To the fact that Pakistan was created in 1947? What have Muslims in today’s India to do with any of these happenings?
Claiming “justice” in tormenting the helpless is hardly the ideal way of presenting India to the world.
Those who can should watch the video of the to-and-fro in the Manipal institute between the instructor and the student, both so far unnamed in media reports.
The professor tries to dismiss his shocking remark as a joke but the student hits back, saying, “26/11 is not funny. Being Muslim and facing such things in this country is not funny. How can you label me as a terrorist in front of everyone in the class?”
“Sorry,” says the teacher. “‘Sorry’ alone will not help, sir.”
As the professor tries to salvage the situation by telling the agitated student, “You are just like my kid”, the student replies, “If my father does this to me, I will disown him.”
Still trying to damage-control, the instructor says, “It’s a funny thing.” Replies the student, “No, sir, it’s not a funny thing. 26/11 was not funny. Islamic terrorism is not funny. Being a Muslim in this country, and facing all this every day, is not funny.”
When the teacher again tries to address him as his son, the student asks if he would call his own son a “terrorist”. “Will you call your own son by this name? How can you call me like that? In front of so many people, in a class? You are a professor.”