As a university, we are happy: HCU VC Podile on Vemula report

Hyderabad Central University Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao Podile, who had come under attack over Rohith Vemula suicide issue, today expressed happiness over the Commission constituted by the HDR ministry absolving the HCU of any blame.

"If that kind of report has come, I am happy about it. We have no access to that. We have not yet seen. We are happy. As a university, we are happy," Podile told PTI.

Raising questions on Vemula's Dalit status, the Justice Roopanwal Commission, in its report to the HRD ministry, has said the material on record did not establish it and attributed his suicide to personal reasons, according to sources.

The Commission has given a clean chit to Union Ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya, sources said.

The University authorities too have been absolved of any blame for Vemula's death as the Commission has held that they were not working under political pressure.

Podile was in the eye of a storm over Vemula's suicide on January 17, with a section of students demanding his resignation and held vigorous protests seeking "justice" for the research scholar.

A battery of high-profile leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal, had visited HCU (also called University of Hyderabad) at the height of protests.

Based on a complaint by a section of students, Cyberabad police had registered a case against Dattatreya, Podile and three others in connection with the suicide.