
The success story of women scientists behind Chandrayaan 2 indeed make us proud, but there is also another major side of society in which students are often discriminated against on the basis of caste, gender, religion and so on.
After Dr. Payal Tadvi’s suicide incident, this time three Adivasi girls studying nursing in Mumbai’s famous Dr. R.N Cooper Hospital AND HBT Medical College became victims of casteism. They have to face all sorts of discrimination within the institute, from being expelled from the lessons to being marked absent even after attending lectures, and deliberately failing them in exams and throwing away their files. Not just this but also words like ‘neech’ are used about them.
Well, there are many such incidences happening everyday everywhere which go unreported. It should be the duty of every educational institute or college to ensure that there is no ragging happening in the name of caste, religion, sex in any way. All should have the right to education based on equality. There should be active student cells where students can address their issues and immediate actions can be taken.
When the girls decided not to keep quiet, their mental checkup was forcefully done. Fake reports showing they have mental disorders were produced. This is the extent to which women from this community are being harassed! False allegations of the girls having boyfriends were also made. Truth of these allegations apart, is it a crime to have boyfriends? The girls are being given bad character certificates!
I strongly condemn the wicked attack on Adivasi girls by the institutes. Why should any girl or for that matter any human being face all this? What is the use of such caste based divisions which force someone to give up their lives!!?? Do we want to live in a society where one section is made strong and another weak? Then why is neither the beti saved nor the beti educated in our society?
I salute the girls for their courage to break all the glass ceilings and come out to fight for their rights. Violation of any human rights should not be tolerated. Many progressive organizations came forward to become their voices. I would like to add mine to it. Are you also with me?