Ragging bears testimony to normalisation of violence

When will our college/university students — or the group of ‘seniors’ — acquire the moral and intellectual honesty to accept that there is nothing heroic or therapeutic about ragging — a practice that continues to sanctify itself in the name of ‘intro’ or the act of ‘knowing’ the juniors, helping them overcome their initial shyness and inertia, and making them comfortable with the campus/hostel life? The fact is that this sort of ‘intro’ or ragging is morally, psychologically and politically dangerous. The recent ragging-related death at Kolkata’s Jadavpur University, a leading academic institution of the country, has shocked the nation.

Swapnadeep Kundu, a young boy with dreams in his eyes, took admission in this great university to pursue a career in the arts (Bengali literature, to be specific). Possibly, he was excited when he entered the men’s hostel on the campus to undertake a new journey. But then, his ‘seniors’, it seems, were like ‘hunters’. With continual humiliation, physical torture and even sexual abuse, as reports suggest, they finished him. It doesn’t matter whether his death was an ‘accident’ or suicide. He was forced to die.

However, what is tragic is that amid the public outrage, angry debates on television channels and even naked politicisation of the entire issue, we often fail to reflect on the larger socio-cultural malice that has led to the kind of degeneration we witnessed in the university. In this context, there are three issues that deserve attention. First, the psychic perversion implicit in the notorious act of ragging cannot be seen in isolation. After all, these youngsters have grown up in a socio-political milieu that has almost normalised violence in everyday life. Open your eyes and experience this violence in the social psychology of hyper-nationalism, the cult of authoritarianism or the rise of diverse forms of ‘bulldozer politics’. Indeed, nothing surprises us anymore, be it mob lynching, cow vigilantism, aggression and abusive gestures in everyday life. There seems to be some sort of taboo on tenderness in public life. Likewise, the culture industry that normalises sexual abuse and violence seems to be spreading its virus everywhere. It is not easy to retain sanity as youngsters grow up in this toxic social milieu.

Second, there is something terribly wrong with what passes off as education. I have no hesitation in saying that the demonic industry that has flourished in the name of education in our country — from regimented schools to coaching factories — is transforming young students into atomised, self-centred, overstressed and hyper-competitive warriors. It kills what makes one humane — empathy, art of relatedness, ethics of care and compassion. In the name of children’s career prospects, even otherwise sensitive middle-class parents are encouraging this sort of life-killing education. Seldom do they realise that even if it assures placements and salary packages, it will eventually rob their children of their humanity. As this generation — already psychologically wounded by the instantaneity of social media, endless drilling and joyless learning for cracking all sorts of standardised tests and bombardment of diverse forms of sadism — enters the university, it is not easy to redefine the trajectory of life and live with life-affirming and positive vibrations. From alcoholism to drug addiction to sexual perversion — the campus life, as every insider knows, has its own tales of violence. Yes, this is like the normalisation of pathology, be it the violence of sadomasochism implicit in ragging or psychic depression/anxiety that many students pass through. Even though Jadavpur University is in the news these days, the fact is that this sickness is everywhere — from IITs to leading universities, from little-known colleges to education shops.

And third, it is naïve to believe that the installation of CCTV cameras, police patrolling and some ‘expulsions’ or ‘show-cause’ notices will restore order and sanity in our academic institutions. There are limits to punitive measures. In fact, for restoring collective sanity, we need trust, love and empathy — not the trap of the surveillance machinery or the militarisation of the campus life. In fact, the more CCTV cameras you install the more you break the chains of communication and dialogue. The mindless use of the technologies of surveillance normalises mistrust and destroys the art of relatedness. It intensifies the problem.

These tormented souls need healing. And this is possible only if we succeed in transforming our universities into truly dialogic communities. This is like redefining the very objective of education. Education, let students and teachers realise, is not merely for acquiring a set of technical/academic skills to get a lucrative job; education is primarily about nurturing a generation that cherishes what social psychologist Erich Fromm would have characterised as the ‘art of loving’. This is the only answer to all sorts of sadistic violence, be it the brutality of authoritarian political masters or the aggression of ‘seniors’ on the university campus. And to make this possible, we need a creative alliance of dialogic teachers, politically and culturally sensitive students and the larger university community. Yes, dialogic teachers can relate to students, understand their inner turmoil and act as friends, communicators and healers. Likewise, politically active students — and Jadavpur University is known for their presence — ought to redefine the meaning of freedom. Freedom is not merely the outer freedom — freedom from feudalism, capitalism and casteism. Freedom is also inner freedom — freedom from sadomasochism, authoritarian impulses or hedonism. Only then can these students resist the practice of ragging, initiate a new movement and nurture a new culture of love, solidarity and engaged pedagogy. Will it be possible?