Online diary of Rohith Vemula- Replete with acerbic asides

December 29, 2012: The fight is over... A tender child has succumbed to the darkness of our world. She could have been the pampered child of her parents. Death is the only companion she has now. She might have been admired by her friends and neighbours, but today all they have are her memories....painful, heart-wrenching memories of their good times together. Death might have waited for some days to seek justice. Death might have seen the way our leaders played politics even during the last moments of this girl. Death might have thought its world is safer and more secure than our Nation. The girl might have decided not to take birth in our Nation again.

The girl might have pleaded not to make her take birth as a girl in her next life. India: A nation where 545 elected representatives (with 33% women representatives) failed to stand with this girl. A nation where politicians behave as elected brokers; where no one does any work without a taking a bribe. A nation where students feel shy, timid and embarrassed of raising their voice against anything odd. A nation whose educated intellectuals chase money like machines. In a nation like ours, death could be the only thing which can rescue us. May her soul rest in peace and so be it for our humanity and our nation’s integrity. 

December 8, 2013: The assembly election in four states has clearly given a strong punch to the corrupt Congress government. Except in Delhi, people didn’t have a choice other than the BJP. In fact though we can blame the electorate trend being influenced by upper middle class’s natural opportunism, we also have to admit the failure of the Left parties in setting themselves up as an alternative. The change or model that came from Aam Aadmi Party should have come from the Left parties. Anyway, it seems we possibly will go through a hard time with the BJP becoming strong again like in 1989. Time to be more active on ground. Time to organise a reticulated revolution. Viva la Revolution!

August 8, 2015: It seems all of ABVP-UoH cadre is sharing this video [of Vemula speaking against the saffronisation of the UoH campus —Ed.]. I too feel that everyone should see the video. The person in the video is me. I was answering questions of approximately 20 ABVP members. At first, I was willing to answer their questions politely but the way they rebuked Ambedkar and Ambedkarite movement made me lose my temper and I rebuked them back. I demand the ABVP release the full video of the incident during which one could see a scuffle and fight. Someone said they will tear all of Ambedkar images on the campus! And one guy threatened me to come out of campus so that Bajrang Dal can see what Ambedkarites are made of! I don’t feel guilty about rebuking or abusing Hindutva. I do not regret or have remorse. I will continue my fight against hegemonic cultural oppression of Hindutva-backed organizations inside and outside the campus. Jai Bheem!!! 

January 8, 2016: Vivekananda is an apologist of caste system, misogynist and a fake intellectual. He is an overrated, half-witted person who makes no scientific references to his rants. There are no actual and original ideas or knowledge production by this man. I am surprised and disappointed at the kind of institutionalised celebration of his birthday in HCU.
 
Excerpted with permission from #CasteIsNot ARumour — Online Diary of Rohith Vemula, edited by Nikhila Henry published by Juggernaut Books and available on the Juggernaut app