HYDERABAD: Following death threats and trolling on social media on professor and activist Sujatha Surepally, several activists came together to point out that the attack is not against one individual but an attempt to hurt democracy.Surepally has been called an ‘anti-national’ and has been accused of burning photos of Bharat Mata on the Satavahana University campus on December 25. Sujatha, however, said she was in Hyderabad and not in Karimnagar on the day. In a meeting that was held at Lamakaan on Saturday evening, activists pointed out that branding the professor as a “naxalite and a maoist, stirring emotions among youngsters turning them into anti-nationals” has a social, political and economic context to it.
Kalpana Kannabiran, professor and regional director of Council for Social Development said this has become the new norm. “We have seen rise in such attacks in recent past. While Kancha Ilaiah was attacked across various mediums and even at his residence, death of Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru proves that those who go about saying someone should be killed, can actually do it. This incident has proved that it is not an empty threat. Also, those who commit the crime will be safe and secure, while those who are representing voices which have been oppressed will have to live in fear,” she said.
KY Rathnam, associate professor, Political Science at University of Hyderabad, said that Dalits, who joined universities in the 90s have started to articulate their thoughts differently. “This has made it difficult for the mainstream lecturers to tolerate. These students ask questions that need teachers to prepare themselves better. For example, students in my classes ask me why there is no reference to Mahatma Phule or Koregaon and its relation to Dalits. My job as a teacher is not to brand them as rebels, but to prepare myself to answer those questions,” he said.