UoH Student Unions Slam Biased Handling of Vemula’s Tragic Death
HYDERABAD: Student unions at University of Hyderabad (UoH) spoke about the lingering concerns surrounding the handling of Rohith Vemula's case, implicating key political figures and law enforcement officers. Vemula, a Dalit scholar from the university, died by suicide in 2016, sparking nationwide debates on caste discrimination within educational institutions.
Rao came under fire as the comments were perceived to be dismissive of the serious accusations regarding Vemula's caste identity and the merits of the case.
A student leader of the varsity recalled that former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had initially promised a fair investigation into the conduct of the police following the arrest of students and faculty members on March 22, 2016, but those promises remained unfulfilled.
They condemned the BRS government’s failure to remove Prof. P. Appa Rao from his position as Vice Chancellor, despite assurances to the contrary.
"Appa Rao, who was at the centre of the controversy surrounding the social boycott of five Dalit scholars, continued in office until the end of his tenure after an extension," a student told Deccan Chronicle.
They accused ACPs Ramana Rao and N. Shyam Prasad Rao of drafting a biased closure report that allegedly favoured the narratives propagated by ABVP and the BJP.
"These narratives contributed to a false and fictitious account, sidelining the true nature of the events that led to Rohith's death," they said.
In response to these developments, the students called on BRS members to reconsider handling of the case and the overarching implications of the justice system's approach towards Dalit students, and urged an impartial enquiry into what they described as an 'assault on the identity of Rohith Vemula and the derailing of justice for Dalit students."
