Chennai: Students in Chennai joined their counterparts across the country to protest the death of Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad. Around 60 students from various student unions gathered in front of Shastri Bhavan, blaming the BJP government for his suicide.
Shreela Manohar, a protesting student from Ambedkar Law University said, “We have gathered here to strengthen the demands already made by students of the Hyderabad Central University. The Vice Chancellor of Hyderabad University should be dismissed. We are demanding a memorial and scholarship in Rohith’s name,” she said.
She added that there should not be any saffronization of educational institutions and political parties should not interfere in student issues.
Students from various students’ organisation like the All India Students Federation, Campus Front of India, MCC students, Ambedkar law college and Tamil Nadu students movement participated. They burnt the photo of the Vice Chancellor of Hyderabad Central University andheld placards which read, ‘It is not a suicide, but murder!’
‘We demand independent and impartial enquiry into the death of RohithVemula’, ‘Death of a student in HU BJP’s conspiracy!’ ‘End of Hindutva in institutions!’ Protests and condolence ceremonies were on in various institutions in the city like the IIT Madras and Madras University. Akhil Bharathan of IIT Madras said, “We had a condolence meeting for Rohith Vemula. Injustice on Dalit students has been going on in several institutions.
We also discussed the way in which brahmincal hegemony operates in
academic institutions.” He added that the Central government was trying to intrude into the autonomy of universities.
