Eagam Khaling
The word ‘Anti-ragging’ is related to the history of ragging and its problems. In India (if we take it to the field of education), it is related to ragging in high schools, colleges, universities and educational institutions, and the Anti-ragging Acts and their implementations and effects. The Anti-Ragging Acts are incomplete without the history of ragging and its problems in the country.
In this writing, I do not take on the meanings of ragging, the positive and negative aspects of ragging, the history of ragging, and Anti-ragging Acts, and the incidents of different kinds of ragging that took place in the various parts of the country in the past. But I would be taking on only my two questions. The second question (as an inquiry) has derived from the first question—(1) Do we get any incidents of real ragging in the hill colleges of Darjeeling? (2) Why are there no genuine cases of ragging incidents in the hill colleges of Darjeeling?
The hill students of Darjeeling come across the term ‘Anti-ragging’ only in the time of getting admission at the colleges and universities. I was a student at the North Point College of Darjeeling (from 1998 to 2001), a part of the ‘Xavier Hostel’ of the college, and a student at Sanada Degree College from 2001-2004. Since then, I have been involved in the teaching profession, but I have never heard of any cases of ragging that occurred in the hills at such a significant level. It does not mean that we can be sure of no ragging in the colleges of Darjeeling, though this might have existed in some other ways. That is why I am saying ‘in apparent level’ but not the ‘zero ragging’. There may have been some minor incidents of ragging in the hill colleges that may have gone unnoticed by everyone.
Now I am coming to my indirect answers based on the naturalized social values and ethos of the hill people in the subjective and objective behaviours of the hill students.
I think it would be better to highlight the gross meaning of ragging before giving the answers to the above questions—‘Ragging’ is a gross violation of an individual’s fundamental rights. In a general sense, ‘Ragging’ always refers to certain specific activities performed to violate the fundamental rights of a student, especially within the boundaries and limitations of high schools, colleges, universities, educational institutions and organizations. From this point, I would touch on a question of my purpose, and that is: “What inspires or motivates one student (conscious individual) to violate the fundamental rights of another student?” This question is difficult to answer because there may be various other reasons behind inspiration or motivation. Among many, one of the reasons may be the socio-ethical characters of the students. These socio-ethical characters build the cultural characters of the students. Again, these socio-ethical characters themselves get built from the natural, positive and universal values that are by instinct built in a student. Thus, a student bearing such kinds of value in him is always not subjected to violating any other’s fundamental rights as ragging (in this case). Here, a socio-ethical interpretation means the interpretations of characters of the hill people possessing such natural values. This interpretation will indirectly help us to answer the second question. Reasons behind the prevalence of zero-type ragging in the hill colleges of Darjeeling may be due to the possessions of some natural and universal human values like—(a) Non-discrimination between male and female children. (b) Natural marriage system (c) Non-practices of dowry system (d) Humanity.
The development of humanity is to be anticipated from the naturalized universal human values in the socio-cultural characters of hill people. We find a kind of mentality in the social pattern of hill people is evident by their equal treatment to a girl-child and boy-child. The patriarchal societies of the hills are so respectful to their women section. The hill people are free from religious, racial, and gender vices in many ways. It is evident from the point that we have never got any record of religious conflicts and religious-based violence in Darjeeling.
‘Human being’ is the first preference in the hills, and that’s a reason why we find many people from different communities, religions, faiths, races, and professions peacefully living together. For instance, if we look back to the records of the last agitations for the demand of a separate state that took place in the hills, we do not find any kinds of casualties to any other religious sections and their religious temples, churches, pagodas and their institutions and fellow followers. There were no killings of women and children except in some unavoidable cases of political violence, but this kind of incident was very rare. From this instance, we can say that the elements of humanity naturally run in the deep blood of hill people. These are even visible in them in their natural dispositions. So far, I believe (my personal belief) that the humanity we talk about and expect from human beings is impossible without the possessions of such natural and universal values in every human being. Hence, the hill people of Darjeeling (especially students) are less instinctive to violate any other individual’s fundamental rights and less prone to ragging.
While walking college roadsides in Darjeeling, if anybody happens to ask the question “Do you know something about ragging?” to any student, then his answer would be positive, but without entirely being sure of the correct answer. Now, if one goes a little further and asks another question to the same student, “What are the acts of ragging?”, then this time the answer would be a negative one. The hill students do not get much of the actual situation of ragging in their college and institution. If anybody asks me, then I am ready to give a quick reply in this way, “Listen, Bro’! Hill people are sober, gentle, and naturally peace-loving people.” These soberness, gentleness, peace-lovingness and natural way of living have deep roots in the cultural characters of the hill students. They cannot merely think of violating the fundamental rights of any person and enjoy for the sake of their developed pretensions and excuses. To add, let me tell you that I have not heard or witnessed a raging crisis in the hill colleges and intuitions that shook the state and nation. But I have often heard, read and recorded such a crisis that took place in the other parts of the state and the country, and disturbed all the civilized citizens of the world. Perhaps, I have heard and observed some minor conflicts of principles, physical fighting and violence between the student unions in some colleges of the hills. These kinds of crises originate mainly due to the characters and the nature of the constitutions of a nation. We cannot directly give them a social-ethical interpretation. They are not generally inspired and motivated by natural and universal human values.
Nothing is constant, which also means only the change is permanent. Everything is changing, even the universe, world, theories, laws and principles. The societies also change together with time, but at present, the existing societies of the hills with such naturalized human values and socio-ethical characters are worthy of praise. They have original socio-cultural characters in their practical way of living. They are God-fearing, nature-worshipping, and easy-going people with lots of naturalized values socio-culturally built into them. Students with such kinds of characters and cultural attitudes cannot be easily motivated to an offense of violating the fundamental rights of any other person. The questions of ragging in the hill colleges are not so prominent (and protruding). We do not get any genuine cases of ragging in the hill colleges of Darjeeling.
