IIT Bombay student death: Dipke questions treatment of marginalised students

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said the September 18 death by suicide of an IIT Bombay student should not be viewed in isolation. He raised questions about representation of marginalised communities in premier institutions and said the student’s parents should not struggle for justice

Mumbai: Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday said the death by suicide of an IIT Bombay student last month should not be seen in isolation and stressed that something needs to be done about the feeling among marginalised communities that they do not belong in premier institutions.

Replying to a question on the September 18 death by suicide of 22-year-old Sahil Wakode, whose parents are on hunger strike demanding the arrest of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla and IIT Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare, Dipke said it was shameful that someone had lost their child and had to struggle for justice.

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“We should not see this (the suicide) as an isolated incident. Many students have committed suicide at the IITs. Now these are the top institutions of India. If you look at the enrolment rate, the dropout rate, the staff, is there enough representation (of the marginalised communities)? There is not. There is need to do something when it comes to the feeling that these people belong there,” Dipke said.

How can one justify the death of a child because he cheated, the CJP founder further asked.

Did former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan die by suicide after the paper leak, and do ministers arrested in corruption cases die by suicide, he asked.

Dipke further said only those who have friends among the tribal community would be able to know what they have to face when they enrol in big institutions.

“Just because you shut your eyes does not mean crime has not happened,” Dipke asserted.