Rahul compares Rohith to Mahatma Gandhi, says RSS 'crushed his spirit'
Hyderabad: Rahul Gandhi on Saturday went on a day-long fast at Hyderabad Central University backing protesting students on the Dalit scholar suicide issue and accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS of trying to crush the spirit of students by imposing "one idea from the top".
"My main opposition to Mr.Narendra Modi and RSS is that they are trying to crush the spirit of Indian students and youngsters by imposing one idea from the top," the Congress Vice President said.
Read: HCU suicide: Congress accuses BJP of inaction
Drawing parallel between Rohith's suicide and Mahatma Gandhi's assasination, he said "what has happened here is exactly what was done to Gandhiji".
"Gandhiji was killed by the same forces which did not allow him to speak the truth he wanted to say. It is exactly the same thing that has happened to Rohith...they did not want him to speak the truth that he saw in this institution," he said.
Read: Rahul Gandhi joins HCU protesters on hunger strike for Rohith Vemula
Insisting that the incident is not related to one individual or any one particular community, Rahul told the students,"You will find one day that the same people who crushed Rohith will be blocking your path to freedom and progress".
"My message to every single student of this country is- when you let what happened to Rohith happen, it will happen to you one day," he said.
Read: HCU suicide: ABVP calls for shut down of colleges in Telangana
Rahul first joined agitating students in a candle light vigil past midnight to mark the birthday of Rohith, who would have turned 27 today, and later went on a nearly nine-hour fast with them.
"Do not force your idea on these students. Give them their dignity and respect. I want to say without any animosity & with respect- Modiji, if you want India to progress, you have to unleash the power of these students. If they are feeling discriminated in their universities and their colleges, you will not be able to unleash the power of these students," he said.
Read: Classic politics of vulturisation: BJP on Rahul Gandhi's visit to HCU
Rahul also advocated that a law be enacted to end massive discrimination in our universities.
"It is time for India to have a law that targets such discrimination in all universities and institutions," he said asking the PM to look into the possibility of passing such a law.
Read: ABVP slams Rahul's 'caste politics', calls for nationwide stir
Rahul, who is visiting the campus for the second time in as many weeks, tweeted, "I am here today at the request of Rohith's friends and family, to stand with them in their fight for justice.
Read: Rohith's suicide not linked to hostel expulsion: Kailash Vijayvargiya
"A young life full of dreams and aspirations was cut short. We owe it to him, to the memory of (Mahatma) Gandhiji and to every single Indian student who dreams of an India free from prejudice and injustice," he said in another tweet.
Read: HCU suicide: Cong shedding crocodile tears over suicide of Dalit, says BJP
Rohith's mother Radhika and brother Raju were also present at the protest site.
In Delhi, three Union Ministers accused Congress of shedding "crocodile tears" over the suicide issue and attacked Rahul for using students as a "political tool".
