Dalit scholar in Kerala continues hunger strike to fight casteism in academia
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Kottayam: PhD scholar Deepa P Mohanan is on a hunger strike outside the International and Inter-University Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IIUCNN) at Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam. She alleged that caste discrimination by the director of the institute — Nandakumar Kalarickal.
The 36-year-old scientist finished her MPhil and has been pursuing a STEM PhD for the last 10 years. She is building wound-healing scaffolds using nanoparticles to advance the field of nanomedicine. Deepa alleged that she would have been able to finish her research by 2015 but for Nandakumar obstructing her education, reported The News Minute.
Deepa has been on a hunger strike for five days now. and has demanded the institute remove Nandakumar from his post. IIUCNN Vice-Chancellor Sabu Thomas said that removing him is not possible due to technical reasons.
The Dalit scholar alleged that Nandakumar has stopped him from accessing the lab, chemicals, and polymers needed for her work. He has also denied her seating at the workplace, blocked her stipend, and once locked her inside the lab. She alleged that his rude and abusive behaviouris because of her being the only Dalit scholar in the batch.
VC Sabu Thomas said on October 29 that Deepa would be provided with research materials and her research guide would be changed. But the university, in a compromise meeting on November 1, made it clear that Nandakumar will continue in his position.
Deepa alleged that Nandakumar is close to top CPI(M) leaders in Kerala and that is the reason student unions like SFI did not back her. She is firm on the demand that she will not end the hunger strike as long as Nandakumar is in the centre. She added that her experience proves that he wants revenge, reported The News Minute.
In 2015, she had filed a case of caste discrimination against Nandakumar at the university. The committee found the allegations were true and recommended that the university provide her with the facilities she needs. But, nothing changed. Deepa also filed a police complaint under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. This led to Nandakumar sending letters to the University asking to dismiss Deepa from IIUCN.
Deepa on October 31 wrote on Facebook that if she loses life in this hunger strike, the people responsible are Nandkumar Kalarikal, VC Sabu Thomas, research guide Dr Radhakrishnan EK and this government. She added that she understood why Rohit Vemula killed himself.