Telangana BJP Chief Demands Apology from Deputy CM Bhatti
The controversy stems from Bhatti’s recent public comments following Ramchander Rao’s appointment as BJP state president, where he claimed that Rao had influenced UoH authorities to take punitive action against students, including Vemula.
Hyderabad: Telangana BJP state president N. Ramchander Rao has served a legal notice on Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, demanding Rs 25 crore in damages over alleged defamatory remarks linking him to the expulsion of Rohith Vemula and other students from the University of Hyderabad (UoH) hostel, which preceded the Dalit scholar’s suicide in 2016.
The notice accused Bhatti of making baseless allegations with the intent to malign Rao’s personal and political reputation. It demanded an unconditional public apology within three days, failing which civil and criminal proceedings will be initiated. Counsel also sought `1 lakh towards the cost of serving the legal notice.
The controversy stems from Bhatti’s recent public comments following Ramchander Rao’s appointment as BJP state president, where he claimed that Rao had influenced UoH authorities to take punitive action against students, including Vemula.
The legal notice cites findings from official investigations, which stated that Vemula belonged to the Vaddera community (BC-A), and not the Scheduled Caste category, and had allegedly obtained an SC certificate through misrepresentation. It claims Vemula took his own life out of fear of exposure and potential loss of academic degrees.
Clarifying on Ramachander Rao’s visit to UoH at the time, the notice says he had gone to support ABVP activist Sushil Kumar, who was allegedly attacked by members of the Ambedkar Students’ Association. It adds that police investigations found no evidence against Rao, and the High Court had barred coercive action.
Terming Bhatti’s statements as defamatory and politically motivated, the notice emphasises that Ramchander Rao, a long-time RSS and BJP functionary, will not remain silent in the face of targeted attacks, despite his calm public demeanour.
