A number of academics have signed a statement in unequivocal support of a Jadavpur University professor who was trolled and faced casteist abuse for commenting on a social media post that opposed the decision of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to hold examinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maroona Murmu, an assistant professor of history at Jadavpur University, received support from the alumni of Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and other concerned citizens for the online abuse she had to over for expressing her opinion on Facebook post.
On September 2, Murmu had commented on a post by her friend Neelkonto Naskar saying “students’ lives were being put at risk by the government’s decision” regarding holding of examinations.
The statement released in support of Murmu said that a young woman replied to Murmu’s comment saying, “Maroona Murmu, what surprised me was the fact that Jadavpur University has professors with such mentality. I am astonished. Let me brief you a bit on the difference between ‘quota’ and ‘unquota’ (non-quota). To know that life is more important than an academic year, one doesn’t require to be a professor [sic].”
“It’s not about lagging one year but about how some unqualified and incompetent people take undue advantage of the reservation system and their caste is now helping them be successful, while the deserving lag behind for ever. Our parents are stepping out, taking a risk every day to get us food, while some are sitting at home and getting paid for doing nothing, (sic)” the woman further said.
The woman then wrote on her personal Facebook page, “Today morning, just reminded one ‘Murmu’ a Santhal about her Adivasi lineage. That too in a polite manner. But some people like her, just made me realise that so-called professors are getting fat simply drawing paychecks(sic).”
Since then, Murmu has been at the receiving end of constant trolls, numerous hate messages and casteist comments.
The statement in solidarity of Murmu said the professor is a respected historian and educator. She has published papers on subjects pertaining to women’s history and literary production in Bengal. Murmu is an important and active voice against discrimination based on caste and adivasi identities in the realm of education in West Bengal and across India.
She is also regarded as a tireless advocate of increased representation of Dalit-Bahujan-Adivasi voices in education and in public life, and has written extensively on systematic and structural discrimination in post-independence India, the statement said. “Her writings and public activism have played a significant role in bringing the ‘caste question’ to the forefront of discussions in West Bengal, in a manner that has been transformative and path-breaking,” it said, adding that she is loved by her colleagues and students in her university.
“The vicious and hateful social media campaign against one of the most powerful voices of Dalit and Adivasi empowerment in contemporary India is utterly deplorable. Strict action must be taken against the perpetrators of this kind of violence that seeks to silence marginalised voices, denigrate the contributions of a leading Adivasi scholar-activist, and maintain established forms of Brahmanical hierarchy in our society,” said the statement.
The signatories of the letter expressed shock that the “casteist society” does not sensitise its young members to the long history of violence against Adivasis, Dalits, and Bahujans and to the need for affirmative action for the purpose of representation and empowerment, which have been previously stolen from them.
“It is a matter of grave concern that Dr Murmu is being subjected to such vicious attacks. These attacks throw light on structural inequalities in the academe, despite the usual legal and institutional safeguards,” the letter said.
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