CALCUTTA: SA stunning example of how seats of Iearning are not impervious to the stranglehold of caste is provided by the suicide of 27-yr-old. Chuni Kotal, the underprivileged Lodha community’s first graduate.
A post-graduate student of anthropology at Midnapores Vidya Sagar University, Kotal was persistently harassed and humiliated by a professor who did not relish the idea of a “low caste” member pursuing higher studies. Her mental torture began right after entering college, She had even once complained to the vice chancellor. An inquiry had been ordered, but strangely enough no report was submitted. The professor’s taunts forced her to skip the 1990 examination, But she remained firm on fulfilling her dream, and stepping into the world of the well-educated,
To help her scholarly ambitions, the Midnapores District Committee for Tribal Welfare had even employed her and she combined her job with her studies.
Kotlas husband, Manmath Shabar, said that for the last few days his wife had been expressing doubts whether she would be able to sit for the coming examinations in September. “I don’t know if they will allow me to make it,” she would say, ridden with tension. Little did he then know that she would tie a noose round her neck Shabar found her hanging when he returned from work.
Kottla left behind a suicide note which said that excruciating mental strain alone forced her to and that nobody else was responsible for the act.
The police will formally begin investigations after Kotlas husband regains his composure, and is in a position to brief them on the facts. The vice-chancellors report is also being awaited.
Kotlas case had caused a rumpus in the West Bengal Assembly some time ago when reports of harassment on caste lines were received.
The culprit professor was even prevented from checking papers for some time. But that did not prevent him from dining into her that “higher” education was not for “lower castes.”
Article extracted from this publication >> September 4, 1992
