New Delhi (Sputnik): The recent suicide of a female doctor in Mumbai, India who was allegedly harassed for belonging to a commonly discriminated-against scheduled tribe has prompted street protests and generated strong reactions on social media.
People have taken to streets to voice their anguish and demanded that the woman's tormentors be brought to justice at the earliest opportunity.
We are here outside Nair hospital in #Mumbai where people have gathered to demand #JusticeforDrPayal pic.twitter.com/Ws1RJqQa3y
— Adivasi Resurgence (@AdivasiResurge) 28 May 2019
The sloganeering about #InstitutionalMurder going on strong outside Nair Hospital. #JusticeForDrPayal #JusticeForPayal pic.twitter.com/oqt1fw71A3
— Adivasi Resurgence (@AdivasiResurge) 28 May 2019
#JusticeForDrPayalTadvi Protest at Delhi University, Arts Faculty.
— Pinjra Tod (@PinjraTod) May 28, 2019
Condemn the #InstitutionalMurder
of Dr.Payal.
End Caste discrimination in higher education! pic.twitter.com/klyldNUP1f
Pune come together against th institutional murder of Dr Payal Tadvi and ensure Justice for her#JusticeForDrPayal #InstitutionalMurder pic.twitter.com/acfPwzyd6t
— vidula sonagra (@Vidula_Vil) May 28, 2019
A Twitter user posted the types of comments that people like Dr. Payal have to contend with from people from better-positioned castes while at work. Some of the comments were in vernacular and others in English.
I am uploading few screen shots of the conversations that happen on a daily basis where doctors from reserved category are repeatedly addressed as " BEGGARS, UNDESERVING DOCTORS, QUACKS"#JusticeForDrPayal #PayalTadvi#JusticeForPayal pic.twitter.com/7EsW0DuOh4
— Yazhini PM (@yazhinisundaram) May 28, 2019
Payal was from the ‘Adivasi Tadvi Bhil' tribal community, which is classified in the Indian Constitution as Scheduled Tribe for the purpose of granting reservations in government jobs, higher education etc. She had married a Muslim man.
There is an uproar in social media Hashtags like #JusticeForDrPayal and #InstitutionalMurder are trending on Twitter.
#DrPayalTadvi suicide is heartbreaking. Her associates Doctors Khandelwal, Mahere and Ahuja are a disgrace to the medical profession. They should be barred from practice permanently besides subject to punishment as per law for the offences committed.
— Pradeep Gopalan (@PGopalan57) May 29, 2019
Daughters of advocate,judge and businessman are on the run. Police and media both are not able to find the culprits.
— Dr Dharamprakash Kori (@DharamprakashK) May 28, 2019
How Dr payal will get justice???#JusticeForPayal #JusticeForDrPayal #InstitutionalMurder @khan_simin @TheLallantop @ndtv @INCIndia @BJP4India pic.twitter.com/EMmCHCzLay
Inhuman Brahminical caste system is threat to Humanity. Destroy Manusmriti & justice should be served to our sister Dr. Payal Tadvi. #JusticeForPayal #InstitutionalMurder #MeritlessSavarnas@UNWatch @UN @UNHumanRights @UNinIndia @amnesty @coe @Europarl_EN @wef @IMFNews @BBC @AP pic.twitter.com/atcvhN8gL2
— Rajesh Raj (@NRajeshraj) May 28, 2019
#JusticeForDrPayalTadvi Protest at Delhi University, Arts Faculty.
— Talented India (@talentednews) May 29, 2019
Condemn the #InstitutionalMurder
of Dr.Payal.
End Caste discrimination in higher education! pic.twitter.com/bdluJBXyCT
What about from Past Thousands of years These People were treated as shit and oppressed by The Upper caste…. and This is just 71 years and 9 months and you are saying so much unjustice with General Catagory. #JusticeForDrPayal#InstitutionalMurder @BhimArmyChief
— Akhil Ahuja (@MaxAhuja01) May 28, 2019
How many more students are we going to lose to #InstitutionalMurder? We lost a doctor due to the arrogance of upper castes, and what's worse is that it's getting worse. Education shouldn't literally kill them, and this is nothing if not institutional murder #JusticeForDrPayal pic.twitter.com/sokefrYp4Q
— Jagadeesan Arulraj (@jaganarulraj) May 27, 2019
Payal's suicide is certainly not the first case of #suicide in higher educational institutions. We have seen #DrJaspreet from #Chandigarh medical college, harassed by his #savarna prof. and ws failed. He was later awarded MBBS post his suicide #JusticeForDrPayal #deathofmerit
— Ambedkar Age (@DalitLiveMatter) May 26, 2019
Despite efforts from the Indian government to bridge the caste-based social divide in Indian society through affirmative action legislation, caste discrimination still persists, as revealed by Dr Payal’s suicide. India introduced the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 to criminalise caste and tribe-based discrimination. India's Affirmative Action scheme provides for reservation quotas in job recruitment, seats in colleges/universities and in job promotions for people belonging to the discriminated-against groups, locally known as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
