Not so serious’, says Karnataka Minister of School Education and Literacy B C Nagesh on teacher calling student Kasab ‘terrorist’
Karnataka Minister of School Education and Literacy B C Nagesh reacting to the recent controversy following an assistant professor allegedly referring to a student as “Kasab”, felt that it is “not so serious”.
He went out to ask why names from a particular community became a national issue, but names like “Ravana” or “Shakuni” which are so commonly used for referring, do not become an issue at all.
It is unfortunate, the incident shouldn’t have taken place, and the teacher should not have used that name. But I also feel that it is not such (a) serious thing, because we use the name of Ravana for many students many times, and we also use the name of Shakuni many times, but that doesn’t become an issue at all,” Nagesh said. Speaking to reporters, he said, “Why the name of (a person) who belongs to a particular community becomes an issue, I don’t know. Though the issue has been taken seriously and action has been taken against the teacher. But, why some names become a national issue, I cannot understand.”
On Monday, a video showing an assistant professor in Manipal calling a student by the name “Kasab”, and the student countering it, had gone viral. Later, the professor tendered an apology.
The video had gone viral on social media, and the university has debarred the faculty from classes. Nagesh’s comments came amidst Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s “Ravana” barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which triggered a political fight between Congress and the BJP.
Taking a swipe at Modi at a rally in the Behrampura area of Ahmedabad city on Monday, Kharge had said the prime minister asks people to vote “looking at his face” in all elections. “Are you 100-headed like Ravan,” he had said.
Why is what the Professor said to be taken very seriously
While the Karnataka minister is downplaying the teacher’s jibe at the student. It is a serious offense because as a teacher, he is accountable to set a higher example but he triggered a controversy by discriminating against a community. Trouble starts with classifying a community and then smearing them with names.
In this case, Muslims have been constantly classified and named, stages that can lead to genocide, and the last stage, denial of “It didn’t happen” is the most perilous stage. Downplaying this can do more damage. While barbs are made against political leaders, name-calling a student as a terrorist is wrongly branding an entire community and cannot be compared to political mud slings, which is a different ball game.
Here are the ten stages that lead to riots and genocide. Our nation’s teachers have more responsibility to stop this, rather than instigate it.
- Classification
ii. Symbolization
iii. Discrimination
iv. Dehumanization
v. Organization
vi. Polarization
vii. Preparation
viii. Persecution
ix. Extermination
x. Denial
