No more Rohit Vemulas, Payal Thadvis: Director Pa Ranjith expresses solidarity with Dalit scholar Deepa Mohanan

Deepa has been on a hunger strike for the last 10 days

Tamil film director Pa Ranjith, who is known for his strong stand against casteism, has come out in support of Deepa P Mohanan, a Dalit PhD candidate at the MG University in Kottayam, Kerala, who has been on a hunger strike since October 29.

Taking to Twitter, Pa Ranjith, who is known for having produced the critically acclaimed Tamil film Pariyerum Perumal, which deals with caste discrimination, tweeted, "#StandWithDeepaPMohanan, a Dalit PhD candidate at the MG University has been on a hunger strike since Oct 29, as her doctoral studies have been delayed (sic) which was supposed to be submitted in 2015 but extended till now due to casteism in (the) University."

The director further said, "We should allow no more Rohit Vemulas or Payal Thadvis getting killed by casteists in academic spaces. For which, we all have to raise our voices & stand with Deepa Mohanan till she gets Justice!"

Read more: Kerala dalit student's fight against discrimination towards her finds support

Deepa has been on a hunger strike outside the International and Inter University Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IIUCNN) at the Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam for the last 10 days.

Director Ranjith is known to make films that revolve around the lives of the poor and the downtrodden. His last film, Sarpatta Parambarai, was a critically acclaimed hit that showcased the boxing culture of North Madras in the eighties.

The director, who is best known for having directed Rajinikanth in two films, Kaala and Kabali, also has plans to make a film on freedom fighter Birsa Munda.