HYDERABAD: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Friday demanded that the BJP apologies to the nation for rewarding and promoting those responsible for the death by suicide of Rohith Vemula, a PhD scholar at the University of Hyderabad, in January 2016.
Speaking at a press conference at the AICC headquarters in Delhi on Friday, along with AICC SC wing chairman Rajendra Pal Gautam, Bhatti accused the BJP of not only failing to take action against those responsible for Rohit Vemula’s death but also of promoting them.
He pointed out that the then-MLC Ramchander Rao, who had exerted pressure to file police cases against the students, has been appointed BJP Telangana president. He added that Sushil Kumar, considered one of the primary culprits, has been appointed assistant professor in Delhi.
Bhatti said that, as Rahul Gandhi had promised, the state government would introduce the Rohith Vemula Law. The state’s law department was working on drafting comprehensive and foolproof legislation. He revealed that the government had submitted a note in court seeking to reopen the Rohith Vemula case, and affirmed that no one responsible would be spared.
He said Rohith Vemula was a bright young man who had struggled hard to reach the level of a PhD scholar, and that his forced suicide reflected the toxic atmosphere deliberately created on the university campus.
The Ambedkar Students’ Association had submitted a memorandum to the then Vice-Chancellor demanding basic rights and dignity for Dalit students. The university’s ABVP unit president at the time, Sushil Kumar, unable to accept this, lodged a complaint with the Vice-Chancellor labelling Rohith and four other Ambedkar Students’ Association members as “anti-nationals” — a complaint he reportedly also took to the BJP leadership.
The Deputy Chief Ninister alleged that a systematic campaign was launched against Rohith Vemula and the others, with the Vice-Chancellor being pressured from above — particularly by the ministry of human resource development. Ramchander Rao allegedly exerted pressure on the local police to file cases against the five students.
Unable to withstand the mounting pressure from all directions, the university administration expelled Rohith Vemula and his friends from the hostel, which pushed Rohith Vemula to take the extreme step, Bhatti explained.
He said the nation hung its head in shame on the day of Rohith Vemula’s death. People across India held BJP leaders accountable. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi personally visited the University of Hyderabad, spoke with all student associations, and met Rohith Vemula’s mother to gain a deeper understanding of the issue.
