Jessy Philip

Sociologist, interested in issues of caste, class and political processes
@ JMC, Delhi University

[Jessy Philip @jess_venna]

thrilled to introduce by new article on repeasantization In a Telangana village. I argue that globalisation may not cause an agrarian change towards decline of land based livelihoods (1/2) https://t.co/nFBTRoH0RM

[Prashant Pundir @kafkasbluebug]

THIS IS WHAT “JUSTICE” LOOKS LIKE.

Ravindra and Sonali Wakode, waiting outside Azad Maidan after another day of hunger strike for their deceased 20-year-old son, Sahil Wakode. They are permitted to protest only until 6 PM. Then they leave and return the next morning. Their demand is accountability for their son's suicide and caste discrimination at IIT Bombay. The family has demanded action against Prof. Suryanarayana Doolla and IIT Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare.

WE HAVE BEEN COMING HERE SINCE THE BEGINNING. Day after day, Sahil's parents sit inside Azad Maidan. They have said that Sahil repeatedly faced caste discrimination at IIT Bombay. An FIR was registered in connection with his death, and the Crime Branch investigation continues. And still, his parents are having to starve themselves to demand accountability.

Ten years after Rohith Vemula's death, India still does not have a national Rohith Vemula Act. THE ROHITH ACT WAS DEMANDED SO ANOTHER ROHITH WOULD NOT HAVE TO DIE. And now another Dalit student is dead, while his parents have clearly said it was due to caste discrimination and sit on hunger strike demanding accountability. WHAT JUSTICE IS ACTUALLY AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE?? Parents and students have to stop eating. A family demanding answers is kept outside the institution where their son died!

AND AZAD MAIDAN IS AN ISOLATED BUBBLE. And that is deliberate. It is controlled dissent. You are technically allowed to protest, but only in the designated space and only during permitted hours. Sahil's family received permission for the hunger strike only until 6 PM each day. What does the right to protest mean when the parents who are demanding accountability are kept physically separated from the institution they are protesting against?

THEIR PROTEST HAS BEEN KEPT AWAY FROM IIT BOMBAY. Sahil's parents say they have been prevented from accessing the campus. They are protesting at Azad Maidan instead. Meanwhile, 8 IIT Bombay students began their own hunger strike inside the institute in solidarity with the family and over demands for institutional accountability. So there are 2 hunger strikes. One outside the institution. One inside it. Politicians come, take pictures, and leave. Journalists come, take a bite, and leave. Very few people are around. Truly around. No agenda.

#JusticeforSahil

[Prashant Pundir @kafkasbluebug]

UPDATE: Please amplify 🙏

[Rahul sonpimple @Sonpimplerahul]

EWS reservation is a scam..

[Rahul sonpimple @Sonpimplerahul]

Sumeet Mhaskar speaks about the steady decline of government jobs and what this loss means for ordinary people – the erosion of economic security, stability, and the dignity that comes with secure employment.

The press conference was held in Delhi on 27th September.

[Ravi Ratan @scribe_it]

New: 6 IiTB Teaching faculties come forward saying they don’t support faculty statement in support of Doolla. Thank you
More and more should come forward #JusticeForSahilWakode

[Deepali_Salve @deepali_writes]

Extending "solidarity" to a professor while ignoring a deceased student whose voice can never be heard isn't academic support, it's institutional complicity.

Respect to the 6 IIT-B faculty members calling out this shameless hypocrisy.

Due process applies to EVERYONE, not just the powerful.

#lITBombay #SahilWakode
#JusticeForSahil
#AcademicAccountability

[Prof. VIVEK KUMAR ( A World ranking Sociologist ) @VivekkumarProf]

जब तक अनुसूचित जाति/जनजाति के शिक्षकों का IIT में प्रतिनिधित्व नहीं बढ़ेगा,तब तक इन पहचानों के छात्रों के साथ भेदभाव जारी रहेगा।
इसलिए,दलित छात्रों के खिलाफ भेदभाव को रोकने के लिए IIT में अनुसूचित जाति/अनुसूचित जनजाति के शिक्षकों की संख्या में जल्द से जल्द वृद्धि की जानी चाहिए।

[Amey Tirodkar @ameytirodkar]

Caste discrimination on campus not new to IIT Bombay

Kindly read first story of a series on the IIT Bombay where I looked into a survey by its SC/ST cell and the long struggle of Ambedkar Phule Periyar Study Circle on the campus.

https://t.co/zFF6NVfQBv

[Suraj Kumar Bauddh @SurajKrBauddh]

Today, I wrote a letter to U.S. News and many other major global higher education ranking orgs, urging them to exclude IITs from their rankings until they ensure student safety, equality, and diversity in their faculty.

Let Sahil's murder not be buried in silence.

[APPSC IIT Bombay @AppscIITb]

Prof Doolla and others are accused of acting as judge, jury and executioner thereby totally flouting IITB's guidelines. On top of that Faculty Forum publicly showed "solidarity to Prof. Suryanarayana Doolla." IITB has lied and manipulated from day one.

[APPSC IIT Bombay @AppscIITb]

‘As alumni of the institute, who have spent years in the campus over the last decade, our first thought upon hearing the news, was: "This could have been us."’

[Ravi Ratan @scribe_it]

The SC/ST Alumni of IITs and NITs, some students and academics, have objected to the campaign to shift the onus on the student and protect the accused — Doolla and IIT Bombay director Prof. S.B. Kedare.

In a statement, the alumni said the video footage doing the rounds on social media merely shows a student seated on the first bench being approached by an invigilator, handing over his answer sheet and exiting the hall. “In our assessment, the clip on its own does not clearly show a mobile phone being used or any act of copying,” it said.

[Deepali_Salve @deepali_writes]

How can an institute claim academic excellence when it actively excludes representation at the faculty level? The appalling scarcity of SC/OBC professors at IIT Bombay directly impacts student safety and well-being.

Sahil Wakode's death is a horrific consequence of this toxic culture.

#JusticeForSahil

[Suryakant Waghmore @Suryakant_Waghm]

Why are they demanding reconstitution? What is wrong with the committee?
Non-partisan committee is a must..

[Lokesh Bag @lokeshbag67]

The Board of IIT Bombay had constituted a 10-member committee to probe the circumstances surrounding Wakode's suicide.

But protesting students alleged that some members of the panel had already expressed support for Prof. Suryanarayana Doolla.

[APPSC IIT Bombay @AppscIITb]

Rampant Casteism in IIT Bombay is proven by it's own SC/ST Student Cell's survey.
https://t.co/WtBZzWrcTz

[Rahul sonpimple @Sonpimplerahul]

It is your claim to equality which hurts them. They want to maintain the status quo. The moment you start to raise your level, the conflict starts.
~Babasahab Ambedkar.

[Suryakant Waghmore @Suryakant_Waghm]

IIT Bombay Students Hold Candle March, Demand Fresh Enquiry Panel In Sahil Wakode Death Case | Outlook India https://t.co/Jlj4d07WFv

[Sarayu Pani @sarayupani]

IIT Bombay, and the UC media have deliberately made it a post mortem trial of Sahil for “cheating” . But Sahil is not on trial, Doolla is.

How did he handle a distressed kid? Did casteism deny Sahil the procedural protections that other kids are given in the same situation?

[Lokesh Bag @lokeshbag67]

Let’s focus on just 5 things:

1. Why did IIT Bombay delete all the posts related to Sahil after publishing them?

2. How did the media get access to the CCTV footage while the investigation is still underway? Is IITB involved in providing or facilitating access to this footage?