New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) vice-chancellor Shantisree Dhulipudi Pandit came up with a controversial remark on Monday. While caste divisions continue to be a problem in human society, the JNU VC chose to attach caste identities to Hindu Gods as well.

While delivering the Dr B R Ambedkar Lecture Series titled ‘Dr B R Ambedkar’s Thoughts on Gender Justice: Decoding the Uniform Civil Code’, Shantisree Dhulipudi Pandit said that no Hindu deity belongs to an upper caste “anthropologically” and even Lord Shiva belongs to a scheduled caste or scheduled tribe.

“No god is a Brahmin, the highest is a Kshatriya”

Referring to the recent incident of caste violence in Rajasthan which led to the death of a 9-year-old Dalit boy, the JNU VC said, “No god is upper caste.”

“Most of you should know the origins of our gods anthropologically. No god is a brahmin, the highest is a kshatriya. Lord Shiva must be a scheduled caste or a scheduled tribe because he sits in a cemetery with a snake and has very little clothes to wear. I don’t think Brahmins can sit in the cemetery,” she claimed.

Continuing her incredulous statement the JNU VC went on to claim that “anthropologically” other Hindu Gods, including Lakshmi, Shakti, or even Jagannath do not belong to the upper castes.

“Jagannath has tribal origins,” she said.

JNU VC denies status of religion to Hinduism

“So why are we still continuing with this discrimination which is very very inhuman. It is very important that we are rethinking, reorienting the thoughts of Babasaheb. We do not have any leader of modern India who was such a great thinker. Hinduism is not a religion it is a way of life and if it is the way of life then why are we scared of criticism,” she said.

“Gautam Buddha was one of the first to wake us up on the discriminations which is embedded, structured in our society.”

Questions status of women

The JNU vice-chancellor also claimed that the status given to women in Manusmriti is extremely regressive.

“Let me tell all women that all women according to Manusmriti are shudras so no woman can claim she is a brahmin or anything else and it is only by marriage that you get the husband or father’s caste on you. I think this is something which is extraordinarily regressive,” she said.