[Reader-list] Mumbai University Capitulates to Shiv Sena Thugs

[Pheeta Ram]

Dear Shuddhabrata S.

I think the primary reason behind the Bombay University's capitulating
to Shiv Sena goons [and not brats or baba log] is because the people
who want the text to be in syllabus are not courageous enough to take
the Shiv Sena bull by its horns. Moreover, Shiv Sena is a curious
network of people who also happen to run both politics and business so
any opposing body need to have an equally strong supporting network.
Also, very interestingly, some of the people who are adversaries in
the political sphere are partners in business.

The student politics in the Bombay University is in doldrums and
certainly not what it used to be. This is the usual scenario
throughout India. The students in colleges and universities have
totally been co-opted by capitalistic conundrums."Every buddy is a
cool dude." And being 'cool' means being zillions of light years away
from politics! The students have lost their political edge bit by bit
thereby paving the way for Shiv Sena and the likes. The grave of
progressive politics shall be dug in the hallowed portals of colleges
and universities. Once in a while i bump into these students and every
other guy i talk to with about Marxism asks me: "Aren't these the same
guys who did Nandigram?" Now, if these are the connections that the
word "Marxism" pops up in the mind of impressionable younger lot with
low attention span and weaker will to discuss meaningful things
through, how can we expect these guys to pitch their tents for Mistry,
though there is apparently nothing to do with Marxism and Mistry?

Moreover, people who believe that Mistry's text should be in syllabus
are saying that in hushed voices. There is no sense of outrage. I
believe Shiv Sena is less about politics and more about "body
politics". They pose a direct threat to a person's body! And these
days i think people have increasingly started believing their bodies
to be their only world. Not that this was not the case before but
people are more afraid of being hurt, of being mutilated, of being
maulted, of losing a limb. Death of the hearts and minds, and
foreclosure of alternative futures means nothing to these people.
There are many things that are going wrong and yet, i see things are
simmering at places and ready to erupt, its just a matter of time. Its
just that people who are in the mainstream society, who believe that
Mistry should be in the syllabus, need to be more aggressive than the
Sena goons. Interestingly, while i am rooting for Mistry,  i believe
there are many other, far important writers the current crop of
college and university guys need to be acquainted with!

Best

Pheeta Ram

On 10/10/10, Shuddhabrata Sengupta <shuddha at sarai.net> wrote:
> Dear All,
>
> I fail to understand why institutions in Bombay cannot call the bluff
> of the obscenity known as the Shiv Sena. Recently, the student wing
> of the Sena, 'persuaded' the vice-chancellor of Mumbai University to
> remove Rohinton Mistry's book - 'Such a Long Journey' from the BA
> syllabus (see below). What legitimacy do the baba-log of the Shiv
> Sena have? And why should a university have to listen to them in
> deciding what to teach? Sometimes I am really glad that I do not live
> in what gets touted as India's most 'cosmopolitan' city, but is
> rapidly turning into a gigantic ghetto presided over by the spoilt
> brats of the Shv Sena.
>
> best
>
> Shuddha
> --------------------
>
>
> Mumbai varsity drops Rohinton Mistry book after Shiv Sena student
> wing protest
> Published: Saturday, Oct 2, 2010, 15:32 IST
> Place: Mumbai | Agency: PTI
> http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_mumbai-varsity-drops-rohinton-
> mistry-book-after-shiv-sena-student-wing-protest_1446574
>
> The University of Mumbai has dropped the Booker-nominated novel by
> Rohinton Mistry Such a Long Journey from the BA syllabus following
> objections by Shiv Sena students' wing which alleged that it 'poorly
> represented' the saffron party.
>
> The university decided to drop the novel, which was part of the
> Bachelor of Arts (English) second year syllabus since 2007, last
> week, vice-chancellor Rajan Welukar said today.
>
> The university has sent a circular on the issue to colleges
> affiliated to it.
>
> Meanwhile, college teachers said despite having the question papers
> prepared for the second year BA English, colleges had to postpone the
> exam after receiving the circular.
>
> "This objectionable novel uses extremely obscene and vulgar language
> in its text and also makes anti-Sena remarks," said Bharatiya
> Vidyarthi Sena chief, Abhijit Panse.
>
> "The vice chancellor understood our point and was very supportive. He
> immediately convened a meeting with his senior staff and later
> informed us that the book had been taken out of the curriculum," he
> said.
>
>
> Shuddhabrata Sengupta
> The Sarai Programme at CSDS
> Raqs Media Collective
> shuddha at sarai.net
> www.sarai.net
> www.raqsmediacollective.net
>
>
> _________________________________________
> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
> Critiques & Collaborations
> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe
> in the subject header.
> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>