– Kuradi Chandrasekhara Kalkura
“At last Modi breaks his silence.” “Mother India lost a dear son.” Damage has already been done; reference Suicide of Rohit Vemula, student of University of Hyderabad. Comparing it to the Burgling and Dog theory may not be in good taste.
With the Motto “Education results in liberation.”( సా విద్య య విముక్తతే Sā vidya ya vimuktate, सा विद्यय विमुक्र्ते ) University of Hyderabad, one of the most prestigious in the country is located in a sprawling campus of more than 2,300 acres of land. The campus is rich in flora and fauna, home to over 734 flower plants, ten species of mammals, fifteen species of reptiles and 159 species of birds. The Governor of the state of Telangana is the ex-officio Chief Rector of the University, while the President of India is the Visitor to the University. C.Rangrajan, former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India and .A.P. is the present Chancellor and Dr.Podili Appa Rao is the Vice Chancellor. Founded under the Six Point Pormula, in 1974, this mostly residential campus has more than 5,000 students and 400 faculty, from several disciplines.
Such a model Temple of Worship has been in the National News; making headlines in many English, Hindi and Vernacular and Electronic Media: for the wrong reasons.
A Section of the students of the OUH took out a procession protesting the Hanging of the Ycoob Memon. Another section dissented with it. As a sequel, one Susheel Kumar of the dissenting group, an ABVP activist complained to the University authorities about the ill treatment and assault he meted out by five students of the Campus affiliated to the Ambedkar Students Association. Having failed in his attempt to persuade the University authorities for redress of his grievances, he represented the matter to the Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, by nature a mild and polite politician; a rare breed in the present situations. In turn Dattatreya forwarded the representation to the Ministry of Human Resources Development. (MHRD). In turn it must have been, with or without comments sent to the UOH. In the meanwhile the High Court also interfered. Reportedly, after proper enquiry disciplinary actions were taken and the five erring students were penalised by the Vice Chancellor. On Dec.16,2015 they were expelled from the Hostel. Since then a section of the students, backed by the Students’ Unions of all political affiliations, except BJP have started an agitation within and outside the Campus. On January, 17,2016, one of the affected students, Rohit Vemula committed suicide.
There is no dispute that any University is a democratic institution. Yacob Memom’s hanging was in obedience to an Judgement of the Supreme Court of India, the last bastion of the Democracy. On both the occasions, when the Yacob Menon Rally was taken out and students were agitating against expulsion, University’s stand might have been explained in its Website or through You Tube. How many persons, from within and outside the University might have read it? It is not the private affair of the University alone. It has not properly explained its stand to the public or to the students. On both the occasions a dialogue would have mitigated the issue. Instead of nipping it in the bud, University Administration turned a deaf ear. Late Poet Laureate of Karnatka, Kuvempu (K.V.Puttaooa), a Jnanapith Awardee was the VC of Mysore University in late fifties. He used to roam round the campus. Someone asked him “Why do you roam?” “One who clings to ‘Files’ is prone to ‘Piles.” he humored. A VC should not sit in an ivory tower. He is expected to know the ground realities in the campus.
It is shocking that the offices of the Visitor, Rector and the Chancellor have been observing a stoic silence.
Some examples of Non professional academicians performance as successful VCs is worth recalling: Sir C.R.Reddy(Andhra), P.S.Sivaswamy Ayer, Pndit Madan Mohan Malavya, and Sir C.P.Ramaswamy Ayer, (BHU), Bhadruddin Tyabjee and Nawab Ali Yawar Jung (AMU), Sardar K.M.Pnikkar (Kashmir and Mysore )), Arcot Ramaswamy Mudaliar (Annamalai), Justice Gajendragadkar (Bombay) etc. They are administrators par excellence. They never treated the faculty as subordinates. Cuttamanchi never summoned a faculty member to his chamber. He met them, including the legendary Librarian, Abburi Ramakrishan Rao in their Departments. I heard Gajendragadkar addressing: “University fraternity.”
Extraneous influence, not only in this University, but in almost all the Universities has become a common malady. Not only the Political Parties, but every Institution, organisation, profession, calling and trade unions have Wings/Cells for Different castes; named after their favourite Celebrities (Who in their personal life were orthodox’; but not fanatics) and innocent Deities. It may not be possible for anyone to eliminate them. Along with the Reservation system, should these groups must also have different sets of code of conduct and service rules? Should the Penal and Disciplinary action vary from Class to Class? Should there also be rotation system? (Only a percentage of disciplinary/penal action per year and against a certain community?).
Whole academic atmosphere in the UOH is polluted. There are better things to be thought of than Yacoob and ABVP/BJP. Delivering the First Convocation Address of the Rayalaseema University, Kurnool, Dr.Govardhan Mehta, a former VC of the UOH made some observation regarding the contradictions in spite of our achievements: Viz. crores of mobile phones; yet crores suffering from shortage of safe drinking water; some top millionaires of the world, yet hunger deaths; Successful expedition of the Mangalayan, yet suicides by the farmers. He has also drawn the attention of the Chancellor as to how a peaceful academic atmosphere in the University is helpful to solve the common problem of the common man. Unfortunately the Chancellor, ESL.Narasimham the Governor of A.P. and Telangana was absent; perhaps worshiping in some Vaishnavaite Temple. A University is also a Temple of Learning: Goddess Saraswathi.
Worth worrying with William Wordsworth:
“The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!”
“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty”. Liberty is defined as “No liability”. In the next breadth it says: “Our liberty ends where the others begins.”
Kuradi Chandrasekhara Kalkura is a noted Kannada-Telugu Scholar. A Udupi hotelier, and former Chairman, Zilla Granthalaya Samstha, Kurnool, Kalkura is a commentator on socio-cultural issues of Telugu states. He set up Gadicharla Foundation and running Telugu Bhasha Vikasa Udyamam. His Telugu Ratham crisscrossed the state with a message of Telugu Vendemataram.<
