Hyderabad: The mother of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula today refused to meet Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao Podile when he went to her house, saying she would meet him only on the campus along with four other students who were suspended.
The VC, along with two other professors, went to meet Rohith's mother, Radhika, at her residence in Uppal area.
"I went to meet Rohith's mother along with two professors who informed her that I had come and wanted to meet her. But she conveyed to them that she will meet me only on the campus along with four other students," Podile told PTI.
Read: 'Politics aside, a mother lost her son,' says Modi on Rohith Vemula’s suicide
Podile, who is under attack over the dalit student's suicide, claimed that Radhika, during her meeting with professors Geeta and Prakash Babu, expressed regret for demanding his resignation.
"We (Radhika) have no objection to meeting him (the VC) anywhere in the campus along with the four students and not outside," Podile quoted Rohit's mother as telling Geeta.
Read: HCU suicide: Mystery over scratched paragraph in Rohith’s last letter
The suspension of the four Dalit research scholars, against whom action was taken along with Rohith for allegedly assaulting a ABVP leader, was revoked yesterday by HCU authorities owing to intense pressure.
Rohith's younger brother, Raja , said Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani assured his mother of "initiating necessary action based on the report of the two-member committee".
Read: HCU suicide: No names in suicide note may not be helpful for accused
The team of Shakila T Shamsu, OSD in the Ministry, and Deputy Secretary-level officer Surat Singh, came to Hyderabad to look into the entire matter and interacted with all the stakeholders.
The HRD Ministry on Friday decided to set up a Judicial Commission to look into the sequence of events leading to the suicide of Rohith Vemula, a dalit scholar at the Hyderabad Central University.
Read: HCU announces Rs 8 lakh ex-gratia to Rohith Vemula's family
The Judicial Commission will submit its report within three months, a Human Resource Development Ministry statement said.
It said in order to prevent such incidents future, all VCs and senior administrators would be sensitised to reach out to students and there will be "zero tolerance" for any acts of discrimination on campus.
Read: V-C revokes suspension of 4 other dalit students, makes decision conditional
"The fact finding committee constituted by HRD Ministry in the wake of the chain of unfortunate events at the Central University Hyderabad submitted its report to the Ministry on January 22, 2016.
"Based on its observations and findings, the Ministry has decided to constitute a Judicial Commission to review the entire sequence of events and the circumstances and to establish the facts and correctives in the context of the University," the statement said.
Read: Opposition rejects Narendra Modi’s speech over Dalit scholar suicide
Rohith's body was found hanging in the varsity's hostel room on Sunday, which sparked massive protests across the country.
