Dalit student suicide: University lifts suspension of four dalit students

The University of Hyderabad lifted the suspension of 4 Dalit students on Thursday, 4 days after the suicide of one of their toppers sparked controversy. The issue caused the rift between the Government and Opposition to widen.

“The council after taking into account the extraordinary situation prevailing in the university, and after discussing the issue in detail, resolved to terminate the punishment imposed on the students concerned with immediate effect,” a statement by the university said.

The deceased, Rohit Vemula, a 25 year old student at the University, was among 5 students who were suspended for assaulting a leader of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), and RSS-affiliated students’ body.

KVS Giri via The Hindu

This suicide has caused the students to declare an indefinite hunger strike. The Vice Chancellor Podile Appa Rao asked the ASA (Ambedkar Student’s Association) – the association spearheading the hunger strike and a petition seeking his resignation, to “resume classes and maintain calm and harmony “under the extraordinary circumstances prevailing on the campus”; but, to no avail.

This incident’s ramifications are not limited to the University.

The Union Minister Smriti Irani has faced a lot of flak for allegedly distorting facts to absolve the BJP government from the incident. 10 educationalists teaching at the institute who quit their jobs over the suicide, have also blamed Smriti Irani for misrepresentation of facts of the case.

The AAP and Congress have used this incident to point out the holes and faults in the BJP led government. Aam Aadmi Party leader, and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the Government of muffling the voices of those who disagreed with their views, “be it Hindus, Muslims or anyone.”

“Kal Smriti Irani ji ne ek jhooth dabaane ke liye teen teen jhooth bole (Yesterday, Smriti Irani said three lies to hide one),” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in Delhi, a day after the HRD minister defended her ministry, accused of allegedly putting pressure on the university to suspend the five students.

The ABVP leader Nandanam Susheel Kumar rejected all claims that he lied about being assaulted, and demanded a fair inquiry into the matter. The police have charged Kumar, Union minister Dattatreya, VC Rao and one other ABVP member for abetting Rohith’s suicide.

– By Prithvi Punjabi

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