Concerned Students and Teachers Condemn the Police Cases Against Professor Kancha Ilaiah
VHP activists have filed a case against Professor. Kancha Ilaiah, the Management Board and Editor of Telugu Newspaper, Andhra Jyothi, for publishing an article in the same daily during the month of May 2015. Alleging that Prof. Ilaiah insulted Hindu gods by comparing them with other religious gods, the VHP activists further argued that he tried to provoke tension between upper caste and lower castes.
This kind of baseless allegations actually suppress the knowledge dissemination system in India, particularly in academics. Unfortunately, vested political interests will vitiate the atmosphere of freedom of speech and expression in the country that has been guaranteed by the Article 19 in the Constitution of India, 1949. Moreover, the allegations against Professor Ilaiah are false, framed only to harass and politically victimize him and the entire culture of free speech that he and other like-minded individuals endorse and champion.
The newly formed state should not encourage this kind of false and baseless cases against one of the most renowned Professors of India who had come from a backward class community and produced a number of books and articles. Some of his books and articles were used as part of syllabi in many reputed universities abroad. His contribution in the education sector is immense.
The culture of booking police cases against Professors and other civil society members continue in the newly formed state of Telangana. It cuts the basic principle on which the new state was formed to fulfill and implement full-fledged democracy. The intention of the State Government is now questionable. Moreover, it shows the autocratic and undemocratic nature of VHP. It could have called for an open discussion rather than filing a police case on professor Ilaiah.
It allows the people of this newly formed state to suspect its nature because it is entertaining such cases to suppress democratic voices of dissent. It is extremely unfair and politically motivated. So we as knowledge disseminating and learning community collectively condemn this act and demand in no uncertain terms the case on Professor Kancha Illaiah and others associated with it should be withdrawn immediately.
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[Via Mohan Dharavath]
