Book on dalit scholar Rohith Vemula gives an insight into his liberal mind

Rohit Vemula

It was in April 2015 that journalist Nikhila Henry became friends with Rohith Vemula on Facebook. As she says, his online commentary from 2008 to 2016 covered everything from Gaza to Ghaziabad. In the process of editing this collection - Caste is not a Rumour: The Online Diary of Rohith Vemula - Henry realised that it was impossible to restrict his writings to a chronological framework, and so divided his writings into subjects and worldview.

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Henry writes that Vemula rails against India's rape culture and criticises the inherent patriarchy within progressive people's movements including students' groups at the University of Hyderabad. "He was the first to support the Telangana Hijra Trangender Intersex Samithi's Swabhimana Yatra or Pride March in Hyderabad and was also instrumental in bringing out the first Ambedkar Students Association (ASA) poster on transgender dignity. This holistic understanding of gender is reflected in lucid impressions that he left online."

Extracts:

February 12, 2013
When we realise we have no ownership on anyone other than ourselves, we can minimise atrocities on minorities, weaker sections and women. The moment you accept that love doesn't give you the right to decide the actions of others, you no longer get agitated. I hear some friends questioning the character or modesty of a girl whenever some unfortunate incident of harassment takes place. Arey! Agar ek pet animal ko raste mein koyi maar raha to [If a pet animal is being beaten by someone on the road -Ed.] we go and try to rescue it but when it comes to a girl getting scolded or assaulted, we make many calculations before we react. Uper se ethics ki baatein karte hei [To top it we speak of ethical issues -Ed.] as we forget that ethics is subjective. When a girl or a boy decides to live her/his life the way she/he likes no one including parents, brothers or husband/wife has the right to question. At the most all they can do is request or advice. Not question. Of course, the script of our social ethics is written in the blood over hundreds of years of atrocities.

Today some of us (men) enjoy the pleasure of controlling women as we assume the roles of their brothers, fathers or boyfriends. But we should be aware that this power is given to us by the women themselves and the reason for handing over such power in any relationship could be fear or love. It should be crystal clear that the power was given and not gained. Hence, there will come a day when the oppressed gender [women -Ed.] realises the bias in societal order and question our power. I am afraid we men will have no answers then, if we now continue to encourage assaults on women.

First step to stop violence against women is to accept the fact that they are free to live any which way they like. Do not get tempted to control their lives.

May 3, 2015

De-criminalising marital rape
At the outset, let me state clearly that I am on the side which demands a strong, stringent law that finds non-consensual marital sex rape, without any reservations. The whole debate on marital rape is an exhibition of our society's gross double standards on equality and justice. Every citizen is given the constitutional assurance that any personal attack or attack on his or her property can be treated as a crime. In a democracy the lawful protection which an unmarried woman gets cannot be denied to a married woman.

There are two main arguments posed by people who stand against the criminalisation of marital rape: One: Once married, sex is a private matter between husband and wife and hence law shouldn't interfere: No. You can enjoy personal freedom only until you pose no threat to the freedom of others. If your spouse says she is sexually assaulted she must have the right to prosecute you. Marital rape is as non-private as honour killings. Marriage can be sacramental for you but it must not give you the impunity to treat your partner inhumanly. Two: Our religion teaches us to compromise when marital partners make mistakes and going to court against acts done in a marriage is impious: Go to hell (or heaven) with your religion. But when you are living on earth, you must abide by the laws of the land for God's sake. And as the topic of religion has come, let us dissect the religion once and for all.

The religious institutions are mostly patriarchal and stuffed with misogynist rants. No religion is an exception. Any religion that demands servitude to oppressive systems is a religion not worth following. If you are not so comfortable with atheism, at least understand that religion doesn't necessarily represent 'your' God's values. And that God will be very happy if you resist anything that harms you and He (can I say He/She, I don't know) will help you in bringing your wicked spouse to justice. A small reminder: India is a secular country, religious sanctions cannot demand protection from legal implications.

Fighting against patriarchy or misogyny is actually fighting against Kyriarchy. Any form of social oppression should be contested and destroyed. In fact, going by history, making a law that too in India will not make much of a difference. The resistance towards marital sexual assault (has to come from) the revolt of women against their 'sacred' husbands. Women who can control the rebellious cattle in villages should use the same tactics against their husbands. The more ideal solution is to believe in Gloria Steinem's comment, 'A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.' 'Nobody in the world, nobody in history, has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them.' Assata Shakur 'Lost rights are never regained by appeals to the conscience of the usurpers, but by relentless struggle... Goats are used for sacrificial offerings and not lions.'

- Ambedkar Jai Bheem
Extracted with permission from Caste is not a Rumour: The Online Diary of Rohith Vemula, published by Juggernaut Books and available on the Juggernaut app