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'Rohith's death, a warning bell for backward castes'

Last Updated 02 February 2016, 17:58 IST
Members of various student organisations, along with like-minded minded people, here, on Tuesday, took out a protest rally, seeking justice for PhD student Rohith Vemula, who committed suicide at Hyderabad Central University.

The agitators formed a human chain on JLB Road and raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani, Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and Hyderabad Central University Vice Chancellor Appa Rao. The protestors urged the prime minister to drop HRD and Labour ministers from his Cabinet.

Pa Mallesh, an activist, said BJP, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS) and Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat (ABVP) were trying to disturb communal harmony in the name of Hinduism. The Central government is following ‘divide and rule’ policy, he said and added that the death of Rohith is a warning bell for backward castes.

Addressing the agitators, professor B P Mahesh Chandra Guru said with the death of Rohith, the Modi-led Central government has unleashed atrocity against SC/ST community. “It is impossible for SC/ST people to survive, if we fail to oppose such acts. The RSS, ABVP and other pro-Hindu wings are planning to restrain intellectual groups. Both Jawaharlal Nehru and Modi are foppish,” he said.

Guru said caste politics and corruption were rampant in the varsities across the country. The agitators also protested against University of Mysore (UoM) Vice Chancellor K S Rangappa. Pointing at the recommendations of Justice Bhaktavatsala Committee report, in connection with the irregularities in Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), the agitators demanded the authorities to take action against Rangappa.

The vice-chancellor is involved in various irregularities, including direct recruitment of guest lecturers and allotment of guides for PhD students. The vice-chancellor is also spying the activities of SC/ST student organisations in the varsity, they alleged.

The agitators submitted a memorandum to the District Administration. UoM Research Students Association, Dalit Vidyarthi Okkutta, Bahujana Vidyarthi Sangha, Karnataka Dalit Sahitya Academy, Hindulida Vargagala Okkutta, Hindulida Vargagala Jagriti Vedike and other organisations took part in the protest.
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(Published 02 February 2016, 17:58 IST)

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