Scholar’s sucide: University of Hyderabad revokes suspension of four Ph.D. students

Rohith Vermula’s tragic suicide is now a new signpost in dalit politics and how political parties handle its aftermath will be crucial. “She should be sacked forthwith”, Surjewala said.

The agitating students are demanding resignation of Dattatreya, removal of the Vice Chancellor, Rs 5 crore compensation to Rohith’s family and employment to a member of his family, besides revocation of suspension of four students.

“It is very wrong to say that the sub-committee (of the executive council) which expelled the students was headed by a Dalit”.

Insisting that Irani “justified the unfairness” meted out to Rohith Vemula, who committed suicide, and four other suspended Dalit students, Surjewala said, “She is the custodian of all universities”. “This led to the suspension, social boycott, and eventually the death of Rohith Vemula, while the University of Hyderabad administration is responsible for the mishap”.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on 21 January attacked Union HRD minister Smriti Irani over her statement on Rohith Vemula’s, a research scholar, suicide and alleged that she spoke “one lie after another”.

Meanwhile, key NDA ally Lok Jan Shakti party said it could take up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as it was “concerned”.

Gaud further said that Irani as a minister had misled the nation, saying this is the reason the Dalit professors have resigned from their posts.

She also referred to the presence of a number of dalit officials including the hostel warden, who communicated the decision to keep them out of the hostel, to counter the charge of any anti-Dalit bias in the matter.

His fellow students alleged that Rohith had taken the extreme step because of the discrimination against Dalit students following a letter written by Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, who hails from Hyderabad, to Union Minister for Human Resource Development Smriti Irani seeking action against the students for their “anti-national” activities.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) is the student wing of the RSS and is allied to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“We came here to talk to the protesting students, but they refused, so we are going back”, said Sanjay”, a faculty member. “Dalit students”, should also be removed from the cabinet. Before committing suicide, he had been staging a protest on the campus for 15 days.

Surjewala also asked if Irani should “as a mother” and custodian of educational institutions not have visited the family of Vemula to offer condolences. Legal experts said unless they get a relief from the local court, the EC’s decision to revoke the suspension doesn’t provide any reprieve.