The Honorable Chairperson
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes
New Delhi
Dear Sir
Sub: Online harassment and caste violence against Dr. Murmu
Dr. Maroona Murmu is an Associate Professor of the Department of History, Jadavpur University. In the Brahmanical landscape of academia in West Bengal, she is one of the few Adivasi women to have catapulted into success and prominence. Dr. Murmu is vocal on the rights of Adivasis and regularly addresses the issue of violence against Adivasis on print and other media. For this, she is heavily attacked by various individuals who cannot come to terms with the lopsided power dynamics that is rigged against Adivasis.
As academics, artists and members of civil society, we have been appalled at the casteist hatred Dr. Murmu has had to face. Her credibility as an academic and her ability to teach are regularly questioned. More recently, this has catapulted into name calling over her Adivasi and Santhal heritage. A case in point is a shameful attack on Dr. Murmu by a student of the esteemed Department of Bengali, Bethune College, one Paromita Ghosh. On 3rd September, 2020, Dr. Murmu had in a social media post expressed her opinion that the loss of one year is nothing compared to the loss of life. Therefore, according to Dr. Murmu, examinations should not be held during the pandemic. Ms. Ghosh assumed that Dr. Murmu is speaking from the privileged position of a quota beneficiary. Further, Ms. Ghosh referred to those who access caste and community-based reservations as “meritless idiots” (“jogyotaheen opodartho”). Ms. Ghosh on a social media post “reminded” Dr. Murmu that she is after all a Santhal Adivasi and she and academics like her draw their pay checks without any actual labour.
Not only is this extremely insulting towards academics who provide the valuable service of knowledge production to the economy, it is thoroughly insulting to the academic credentials of Dr. Murmu. It is our assumption that no student would ever make a similarly insulting comment towards an upper caste professor, more so since academia in West Bengal is an extremely hierarchized affair (quite unfortunately).
The attempts of the same student to justify her blatantly casteist action by claiming that she is respectful towards another minority academic also constructs a binary of who can and who cannot be respected. Further, the student claimed that Dr. Murmu and those like her use their surnames to access undue advantages and if they do not want to be insulted, they should remove their surnames and stop accessing all government “benefits” that their surnames bring them. This is blatant victim blaming as Ms. Ghosh is blaming Dr. Murmu for the insults Ms. Ghosh has herself heaped upon Dr. Murmu. Ms. Ghosh has constructed her caste hatred as rightful anger, thereby dressing her violence in a garb of legitimacy. When the Head of the Department of Bengali, Bethune College made a social media post about the repeated ill behaviour of the student (Paromita Ghosh) in question, online violence forced her to delete the post.
Our casteist society does not sensitize its young members of the long history of violence against Adivasis, Dalits, and Bahujans and the need for affirmative action for the purpose of representation which has been previously stolen from them. Plenty like this student abound in our society and if someone as illustrious as Dr. Murmu can fall prey to such violence, it chills us to think of what the average Adivasi student must go through in academic spaces. Keeping in mind all those Adivasi students, academics and staff who struggle every day, we request the Honorable Commission for Scheduled Tribes to:
1. To take cognizance of the ongoing violence against Dr. Murmu and direct an impartial investigation into the same
2. To direct strict action and implementation of the Prevention of Atrocities Act, as a deterrent to people who stoop to using caste violence
3. To institute a mechanism where victims/survivors of caste violence can have their grievances addressed without fear of reprisals
Looking forward to prompt action from your side.
Regards,
Prof. Romila Thapar, Writer and Historian
Tanika Sarkar, Professor (retd.), Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Sumit Sarkar, Professor (retd.), History, Delhi University
Supriya Chaudhuri, Emeritus Professor, Jadavpur University
Bobby Kunhu, Lawyer and Writer
Ruby Hembrom, publisher, adivaani.
Kunal Chattopadhyay, Professor of Comparative Literature, Jadavpur University
Samita Sen, Vere Hamsworth Professor of Imperial and Naval History, University of Cambridge
Chandra Talpade Mohanty, Distinguished Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies & Dean’s Professor of Humanities, Syracuse University.
Kaustav Bakshi, Department of English, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
Satya P. Mohanty, Professor of English, Cornell University.
Ayesha Kidwai, Professor of Linguistics, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Rimi B. Chatterjee, Professor of English, Jadavpur University.
Vinutha Mallya, editor and journalist.
Nandini Sundar, Professor of Sociology, Delhi University
Prasad Chacko, Social Activist, Ahmedabad
Namrata Sharma, Rural Development Professional, Bihar
Surya Shankar Dash, Filmmaker, Odisha
P S Manoj Kumar, Assistant Professor (History], Sri C Achutha Menon Govt College, Thrissur
Khadijah Faruqui, Human rights activist, New Delhi
Rahi Soren, Assistant Professor, Jadavpur University
Mythri Prasad- Aleyamma, Post doctoral fellow, Graduate Center, City University of New York.
V. Sasi Kumar, Climate Kerala, Pama Institute for the Advancement of Transdisciplinary Sciences.
Dr. Suresh Kumar, Associate Professor (Rtd.) The Zamorin’s Guruvayurappan College, University of Calicut, Kerala
P J Cherian, Pama Institute for the Advancement of Transdisciplinary Sciences.
Ekabali Ghosh, M. Phil. student, Dept. of English, Jadavpur University.
N. Paul Divakar, Convenor, Global Forum on DWD & Asia Dalit Rights Forum
Neetisha Xalxo, Assistant Professor ,Hindi, Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi.
Sameer Bhagat, Author, Ranchi, Jharkhand.
Dr.Gomati Bodra Hembrom,Associate Professor,Department of Sociology,Jamia Millia Islamia,New Delhi
Virginius Xaxa, Former Professor of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics.Lukmanul
Hakeem.K, Assistant Professor of History, University of Calicut, Kerala
Jagadish G Chandra, Political activist, Bangalore.
Rosemary Marandi, Freelance Journalist and Writer, Goa
Nandini Saha, Professor of English, Jadavpur university, Kolkata
Ramesh Kamble,Formerly, Head, Department of Sociology, University of Mumbai
Reep Pandi Lepcha, Assistant Professor, Nar Bahadur Bhandari Degree College, Sikkim.
Alf Gunvald Nilsen, Professor, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Richard Toppo, PhD researcher, Erasmus University Rotterdam
Marva. M, Illustrator, Writer, Kerala.
Akash Poyam, Copy editor, The Caravan, New Delhi
N.Rajaram, Former Professor, Central University of Gujarat
Sujata Sahani , Ph.D Scholar, Department of Odia Language and Literature, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack,Odisha.
Subhajit Naskar, Assistant Professor, Dept. of International Relations, Jadavpur University.
Cheran Subramanian, Software Engineer, Sunnyvale, US
Bipasha Rosy Lakra, Assistant Professor, department of Political Science, Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi.
Anjali Rai, Communication Officer, National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, New Delhi
Priyanka Das, Assistant Professor of English, Presidency University, Kolkata
Mahitosh Mandal, Assistant Professor of English, Presidency University, Kolkata
Neeladri Bhattacharya, Professor (Rtd.), Centre for Historical Studies, JNU.
Debolina Biswas, Assistant Professor, Gurudas College, Kolkata
Tathagata Sengupta, Reader, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, TIFR, Mumbai.
Sangeeta Dasgupta, Centre for Historical Studies, JNU, New Delhi.
Dr Suvrashree Panda, Assistant Professor, National law University Odisha
Regina Hansda, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Centre for Rural Economy, Newcastle University, UK
Sukesh Ekka, Software Consultant, UK
Ninian Nauneet Kujur, Assistant Professor, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, Delhi
Aniruddha Dutta, Associate Professor, University of Iowa.
Prosenjit Das, student, activist, Ranaghat.
Aashish Khakha, ICSSR Doctoral Fellow, School of Development Studies, TISS Mumbai
Abdul Matin, Asst Professor, Jadavpur University, kolkata
Hembrom Mrinal, Associate Consultant, Pdag, New Delhi & Ranchi
Dr FARHANA KHATOON, Assistant Professor, vivekananda College Madhyamgram Kolkata.
Karan P, Analyst, Mumbai
Suman Marandi, Advocate, Jharkhand High Court.
Afsal Rahman, Journalist, New Delhi
Chinmaya Shah, Dev Professional, Uttarakhand
Rajkumar Bidla, International.Development Consultant, London, United Kingdom
Anupama Mohan, Assistant Professor of English, Presidency University
Suddhaseel Sen, Assistant Professor of English, IIT-Bombay
Tithi Bhattacharya, Professor, Purdue University
Utsa Ray, Department of History, Jadavpur University
Chandrani Banerjee Mukherjee, Department of History, Jadavpur University
Tilottama Mukherjee, Associate Professor, Department of History, Jadavpur University
Suchetana Chattopadhyay, Associate Professor, Department of History, Jadavpur University.
Samarpita Mitra, Assistant Professor, Department of History, Jadavpur University
Swati Moitra, Assistant Professor, Gurudas College, University of Calcutta
Shibthakur Hembram, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Presidency University.
Shayeari Dutta, Assistant Professor, Surendranath College, University of Calcutta.
Anuradha Roy, Professor, Department of History, Jadavpur University
Sumit Chakrabarti, Professor of English, Presidency University
Beena Pallical, National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights
Achin Vanaik, Retd. Professor, University of Delhi
Pranav Jani, Associate Professor, Department of English, Ohio State University
Mousumi Mandal, Assistant Professor, Presidency University
Kasturi Basu, Independent documentary filmmaker and writer, Kolkata
A P Rajaram, Department of Performing Arts, Presidency University
Lakshmi Menon, Assistant Professor, VTM NSS College, University of Kerala
Prithviraj Guha, Assistant Professor, Presidency University
Soumendu Chatterjee, Professor in Geography, Presidency University, Kolkata.
Sujay Thakur, Assistant Professor, Gangadharpur Mahavidyamandir, University of Calcutta
Dr. Samana Madhuri, Assistant Professor, Chandrakona Vidyasagar Mahavidyalaya, Vidyasagar University
Jahira Hossain, Assistant Professor, Surendranath College, University of Calcutta
Amita Kanekar, Independent Researcher and Novelist
Sharanya, Cultural Activist, Koraput
Rajaraman, Researcher, Koraput
Sayan Bhattacharya, Doctoral Candidate, University of Minnesota
Bindu M Mannil , Faculty Member, Azim Premji University, Bangalore
Nandita Dhawan, Director, School of Women’s Studies, Jadavpur University
Senjuti Ghosh, student of DHCI at SCTR; Researcher at KnIDS
Dr. Atasi Nanda Goswami, Research coordinator, Centre for Knowledge Ideas and Development (KnIDS)
Soma Mandal, Jadavpur University
Ashwini dash, student, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack
Manas Ghosh, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Film Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
Abhijit Gupta, Department of English, Jadavpur University
Asim Mondal, Department of English, Ramakrishna Mission Residential College (Autonomous), Narendrapur.
Sudeshna Banerjee, Department of History, Jadavpur University
Samhita Barooah, Queer Up, Guwahati, Assam
Nagesh Rao, Colgate University, Hamilton, USA
Johny Joel Tudu, Advocate, Delhi
Amites Mukhopadhyay, Department of Sociology, Jadavpur University
Binita Ekka, MPhil scholar in Psychiatric Social work, TISS, Mumbai
Sony Silvanus Tudu, student
Rahul K, student, TISS, Mumbai
Lalrinawmi, Research Fellow, Department of Comparative Literature, Jadavpur University
Supriyo Das, Presidency University
Sanjib Biswas, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Geology, Presidency University, Kolkata
Partha Pratim Ray, General Secretary, Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association
Sumit Adhikari, Global Head, Talent Engagement and Development, RMSI, Noida
Sudip Kumar Naskar, Associate Professor, Computer Science & Engineering., Jadavpur University
Durba Basu, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Swarnamoyee Jogendranath Mahavidyalaya, Purba Medinipur.
Chintan kr Mandal,Dept of Comp Sc and Engn., Jadavpur University
Dhiraj Barman, Department of Geography, Presidency University, Kolkata
Arijit Sen, Researcher, Kolkata
Dipak Kesh, Professor, Department of Mathematics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
Anirban Mondal, PhD student. CSSSC/JU
Piyali Sur, Professor, Department of Sociology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
Bhimsen Tudu, Assistant Professor, Department of Power Engg, Jadavpur University
Anwesha Sengupta, Assistant Professor, Institute of Development Studies Kolkata (IDSK)
Debolina Chatterjee, Assistant Professor, Sociology J.D.Birla Institute Kolkata
Kopal, Assistant Professor, English Literature, AUD
Kaustubh Mani Sengupta, Assistant Professor, Department of History, Bankura University
Irani Banerji Chatterjee, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Mugberia Gangadhar Mahavidyalaya, Purba Medinipore
Gargi Gangopadhyay, Department of English, Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Vivekananda Vidyabhavan
Mala Mitra, Professor,Department of Physics, Sister Nivedita University
Dr. Gargi Saha Kesh, Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Vijoygarh Jyotish Ray College, Kolkata
Abhijit Roy, Professor, Department of Film Studies, Jadavpur University
Adharshila Chatterjee, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Women’s Christian College, Kolkata
Soma Roy, Associate Professor, Department of English, Women’s Christian College,Kolkata
Anirban Bhattacharya, Research Head, Centre for Equity Studies
Dr. Santi Saren, Assistant Professor, Department of Bengali, Presidency University.
Shahnaz Begum, Assistant Professor, Purnidevi Chowdhury Girls’ College, Bolpur, Birbhum.
Sarbani Bandyopadhyay, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, St.
Xavier’s College
Saugata Bhaduri, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Hurmal Saren, Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, Maharaja Manindra Chandra College
Akanksha Tirkey , M.A. Final Year , Banaras Hindu University .
Mahashweta Acharjee, UG Student, Department of English, Women’s Christian College, Kolkata.
Kaustav Bakshi, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Jadavpur University.
Sreya Acharyay, UG Student, Department of English, Women’s Christian College, Kolkata.
Sunando Kr. Patra, Assistant Professor, Bangabasi Evening College, Kolkata
Urba Chaudhuri, Education Worker, Kolkata
Subhajit Das, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Presidency University, Kolkata
Sreemati Mukherjee, Professor, Department if Performing Arts, Presidency University
Aditi Mukherji, Principal Researcher, International Water Management Institute, New Delhi office, and IPCC author
Annie Barla, student B.Sc. Forestry, BAU, Kanke, Jharkhand
Susmita Adhikari, Postdoctoral Scholar, Stanford University
Rangeet Sengupta, Assistant Professor, Khejuri College, Purba Medinipur
Kingsuk Dasgupta, Doctoral Scholar, Dept. of History, Jadavpur University.
Amrita DasGupta, alumnus School of Women’s Studies, Jadavpur University.
Bratati Hore (Sen), Associate Professor, S.N.College for Women, Kolkata.
Niladri R. Chatterjee, Professor, University of Kalyani.
Probal Dasgupta, Retired Professor, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata.
Benil Biswas, Assistant Professor, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi.
Sudeshna Mitra, PG Student,Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Calcutta.
Chitrangada Choudhury, Journalist and Researcher
Surjya Kumar Das, Ph. D Scholar, Jadavpur University
Dr. Shampa Sarkar Biswas, Assistant Professor Department of Life sciences,
Presidency University, Kolkata
Prof. Tarun Kanti Naskar, Mechanical Engg. Department, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
Riddhima Sharma, FemPositive
Samira Nadkarni, Assistant Professor, Department of English, St. Andrew’s College, Mumbai.
Prof. Nupur Dasgupta, Department of History, Jadavpur University
Mr. Saheb Ram Tudu, Assistant Professor, Department of Plastic Arts, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
Manoranjan Joddar,Bangabasi college
Dipesh Majumdar Assistant Professor Department of Construction Engineering Jadavpur University
Nazes Afroz, Journalist and Photographer
Samir Adhikary, Assistant Professor in philosophy, NBS Mahavidyalaya
Shilpa Mondal, Ph.d Research Scholar, Department of History, Jadavpur University.
Sravasti Chattopadhyay, Associate Professor, Department of English, Mahadevananda Mahavidyalaya, Monirampore, Barrackpore, West Bengal
Sugata Hazra, Professor, Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University
Dipayan Rudra. PhD.
Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), South Korea
Jessica Kandulna, Student, BHU
Sandip Ain, Professor of English, Bankura University.
Prof. Nandadulal Bairagi, Department of
Mathematics, Jadavpur University
Meeta Bala, Assistant Professor, Kalipada Ghosh Tarai Mahavidyalaya, Bagdogra.
TUHIN HAQUE, Research Scholar, Jadavpur University,Kolkata
Dr Nirmal Kumar Mahato, Assistant Professor, University of Gour Banga
Dr Trishna Sarkar, Asst Prof, University of Delhi.
Kaberi Mondal, Ph.d Research Scholar, Department of History, Jadavpur University.
Dr. Gopalji Pradhan, Professor, AUD
Dr. Suchetana Chattopadhyay, Associate Professor, Jadavpur University
Dr. Randall Sequeira, independent practioner, Kalahandi, Odisha
Pranati H., Student, Tata Institute of Social Sciences- Guwahati
Malini Ghosh, Ph. D research scholar, Department of History, Jadavpur University
Anindya Mukherjee, Mountaineer, Adventurist.
Varuni Bhatia, Associate Professor, School of Arts and Sciences, Azim Premji University, Bangalore
Prof.Sumita Mukhopadhyay
HOD,Department of Bengali
BethuneCollege
Ms.Indira Banerjee, phD student, Jadavpur University
Preeta Bhattacharya , Assistant Professor, Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture, University of Calcutta
Basundhara Chakraborty, PhD scholar, Department of English, Jadavpur University
Ritwik Bagchi, PhD Research scholar, Department of History, Jadavpur University
Subhasree Basu, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Loreto College, Kolkata
Poulami Ray. Phd student Dept of History Jadavpur University.
Swati Hansda,Assistant Professor, Department of Geography,Mahadevananda Mahavidyalaya, Monirampore,Barrackpore.
Priyankara Chakraborty, PhD Research Scholar, Department of history, Jadavpur University
Bhaswati Chatterjee, Associate Professor, Vidyasagar College, Kolkata.
Anasuya Bhar, Associate Professor, St. Paul’s Cathedral Mission College, Kolkata.
Sunanda Ray, Associate Professor, Department of English, Maharaja Srischandra College, Kolkata.
Mayurakshi Das, Assistant Professor, Departmentt of History, TDB College, Raniganj
Rajarshi Mukherjee, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Shyampur Siddheswari Mahavidyalaya, Howrah.
Mangala Gouri Chakraborty, Associate Professor, Department of English, Loreto College, Kolkata
Sourav Ghosh, PhD scholar, Department of History, University of California, Berkeley.
Sunalini Kumar, Associate Professor, Ambedkar University Delhi
