Activists seek probe into Dalit suicide

Suicide of Rohith Vemula, the Dalit research scholar at Hyderabad Central University, has evoked angry responses from the political parties and rights organisations.

They demanded a thorough inquiry into the incident and action against those who played any role in abetting the suicide.

 “Victimising students for political activity on directions from central ministers; is this not a mockery of  ‘Constitution day’,” asked Yechury in a tweet: “Is this how this govt thinks it should mark 125 years of Dr Ambedkar ? Deeply anguished.”

“The suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula is nothing short of institutional murder,” said CPIML-Liberation leader Kavita Krishnan.

In a statement on Tuesday, the CPM demanded that the central government should conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident.

The party accused Minister of State Bandaru Dattatreya of pressurising the Vice-Chancellor to suspend Dalit student from the hostel. But the party has not mentioned the name of Dattatreya and referred to him as “Minister of the Union Cabinet belonging to Hyderabad”.

The party also demanded that the vice-chancellor should be booked under the SC Prevention of Atrocities Act.

CPIML has demanded that action should be taken against the ABVP leader who made a fabricated complaint, the university authorities, the Union labour minister and the Union HRD minister be punished.

The party alleged that two Union ministers branded Dalit scholar-activists as “anti-nationals” be sacked.