On 11th February, S Irfan Habib, a historian and a public intellectual, got attacked with a bucket filled with water being thrown at him. The incident occurred near Gate 4 of the Arts Faculty at the North Campus of Delhi University. The incident occurred at ‘People’s Literature Festival: Samta Utsav’, organised by the All India Students’ Association (AISA). Some faction of the student organisation believes that this attack was orchestrated by the members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) to sabotage the event.
The Literature Festival commenced with a session on ‘Caste in Society and University’, taken by Habib, who spoke on what AISA described as “attempts to rewrite history and marginalise discussions on caste within higher education”.
Professor Habib said,
The bucket did not hit me, but the water fell on me. I was overwhelmed for a few minutes—the bucket could have had anything, even stones.” He further added, “I have been to DU several times and spoken here, and this is the first time that something like this has happened to me. The past two years… things have changed drastically.”
To another source, he said,
I was invited to speak by the students. Some 200 students had gathered. I had just begun my address and spoken for about 20 minutes when suddenly water from a bucket was thrown from a wall behind me. For a few seconds I was unsettled, but then I continued. It is disturbing and shocking for me. Universities are places for diverse voices, which should be respected.”
AISA further made a public statement: “Despite a planned and violent attempt by the ABVP members to sabotage the event, the festival concluded as a massive success.”
Meanwhile, the authorities denied any such happening, “We have not received any complaints of any attacks or mischief on campus,” said Joint Proctor Manoj Singh.
This act of violence against Prof Habib is a testimony to the extent the academic atmosphere is vitiated in the University of Delhi at the behest of the University administration and the affiliates of the ruling party. The impunity of the action shows that the culprits have the protection of the University administration: hence all such acts of violence will go unpunished to encourage more such acts.
It is pertinent to mention here that the current DUSU Joint-Secretary was caught on camera assaulting a teacher in front of police and the college administration. She was allowed to walk free without any punishment and that incident encouraged more such acts of violence by the ruling dispensation. The violence against Prof Habib was pre-meditated as the University administration and the upper caste goons of the ruling party do not want the Rohith Act to be implemented across the country. This is in sync with the policy of NFS adopted by the University administration to deny livelihood to hundreds of teachers in the categories of SC/ST/OBC as an illustration of its caste prejudice,” Rudrashish Chakraborty, Associate Professor at Kirori Mal College and Treasurer of DTF remarked.
Sharply critiquing the attack, CPI General Secretary D Raja said,
This is not disagreement or debate; this is cowardly intimidation. Ideas must be fought with ideas, not with violence, threats or hooliganism. Such acts expose the deep insecurity of right-wing forces who fear free thinking and open discussion.”
He further added,
Because of their narrow and intolerant ideology, university spaces across the country are being turned hostile and inward-looking, where questioning and critical thought are attacked. There is no place for violence or intimidation in academic and public life.”
Read More: On Record with Anish Gawande
Image Credits- The Indian Express
Divyanshi Dusad
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