Rohith Vemula
Telangana
Not his birth, but civil society’s hypocrisy is Rohith Vemula’s fatal accident
Between the State’s indifference and the society’s hypocrisy, who should fight for Rohith Vemula and support his mother Radhika? How is it acceptable for society to sideline her struggle and instead pose the question about Rohith’s caste status?
If asked what is essential to survive in this country, one would unhesitatingly say that it is caste. This statement might evoke negative responses from the many Indians who are known to affirm that caste is a myth. However, the institutional murder of Rohith Vemula and the developments that came after it suggest otherwise. It showed us that the country responds to such incidents by asking ‘who’ is Rohith, and not ‘why’ and ‘how’ Rohith died. It also became evident that civil society primarily looks for caste while deciding whether or not to express their solidarity.