Hyderabad: Terming as ‘insulting’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks over suicide of dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, agitating students of Hyderabad Central University on Saturday vowed to step up their stir and said the PM’s “inaction” reflected his “political interests”.
The students rejected an appeal by Minister of state for HRD Upendra Kushwaha who, on a visit to the city, asked them to call off their agitation and assured them of justice, a day after the Centre decided to set up a judicial commission to look into the suicide of Rohith following his suspension by the varsity. Voicing “dissatisfaction” over remarks by Modi yesterday at a university in Lucknow, the Joint Action Council (JAC) spearheading the stir asked if the Prime Minister would now take action against his ministers. “It is highly insulting to have received a condolence statement from Prime Minister Narenda Modi.
He has referred to Rohith Vemula as Bharat Mata’s son. Joint Action Committee for Social Justice condemns in the strongest possible words, the appropriation of Rohith’s politics,” the JAC said in a statement.
“Rohith Vemula and the other socially boycotted stood always against the Hindutva and Manuvadi politics which the BJP ministers proudly stand for,” it said. “It is under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Police brutally lathicharged the protesting students, male police officers manhandled women students and detained them. His complicity and inaction on the entire episode of events that unfolded in University of Hyderabad clearly reflects his political interests,” it alleged.
The outfit asked if Modi will “take action on the BJP ministers for the injustice meted out to Rohith Vemula and the other socially boycotted research scholars”. Modi on Friday expressed grief over Rohith’s death saying he felt the pain. “…when there is news that a youth of my country, Rohith, was forced to commit suicide, what his family must have gone through.
Mother India has lost a son. There will be reasons, there will be politics (surrounding it) but the fact remains that a mother has lost her son. I feel the pain very well,” a visibly emotional Modi had said. (PTI)
