Chittibabu Padavala’s facebook wall.
rohit1 rohit2As we know, for all the centrality the death has in Brahaminical culture, in fact, in its life itself, including in its festivities and humor,  conducting the grave occassion of death decently is the last thing it does. It knows not the dignity even in death, particularly in the face of or wake of death.

It is probably the most ineradicable aspect of their religious practice. That this shocking insensitivity, probably endless sadism was the work of public authorities and not religious institutions of precolonial times doesn’t make such tricks any less brahmanical. It is the brahmanical mind-set that afflicts our institutions that make such things possible.

From disposing the body of Rohith Vemula in secrecy and hurry, by misleading the grieving students and family members and other who might want to pay tributes to him one last time, what happiness can possibly be derived by anybody?

Is it that the police and the Sangh biggies thought that it would create a law and order problem? Or they don’t want to see a huge show of strength and solidarity for the 26-year, dead PhD scholar?

One of the only (sometimes) useful thing Sanghis do, as opposed to their mostly harmful and ocassionally useless things is conducting funerals of unattended dead bodies. The police-Sanghi coordination here seems to to reverse the equation to get rid of the dead body of Rohith (comrade, you are scaring them even after death. probably more now) as if it was an unclaimed, unrecognized body remains of an unidentified dead to deprive you of a martyr’s farewell.

I cursed you upon hearing the news of your death, tried to tell myself defensively and dishonestly that it was your betrayal to the cause, to life and to me. It didn’t work. I was wrong. You really scared them. It helps that they believe in ghosts. A spectre will haunt the Brahmanical Academia, the spectre of Rohith Vemula!

The heroism, martyrdom, victimhood, sacrifice of yours they want to deprive you of will backfire. We will make your name, spirit, deeds, legacy, memory, ideals a permanent presence all around us. Your name will not be any indistinct trace that all erasures must leave behind, your name will be an evergrowing presence. Scarily spectral to them, progressively looming large inspiration for us. Ultimately all too real for all of us.