Rohith Vemula suicide: Controversy over caste of scholar continues

The controversy over the caste of HCU research scholar Rohith Vemula, who committed suicide on January 17, refuses to die down with the Telangana police, on the basis of its investigations so far, saying his mother belongs to Vaddera community, suggesting he is not a dalit.

In an internal communication titled “submission of instructions” to the government pleader, home, high court, assistant commissioner of police, Madhapur division, Cyberabad police M. Ramana Kumar said as per the statement of Rohith’s father Vemula Naga Mani Kumar, the scholar’s mother Radh-ika Vemula belongs to a backward classes community Vaddera and not scheduled caste (SC). Rohith was a student at the Hyderabad Central University.

Mani Kumar had earlier told reporters that he also belongs to the Vaddera community.

The communication said the investigation officer in the suicide case also recorded the statements of Rohith’s paternal grandparents, who also corroborated Mani Kumar’s statement. Ms Radhika claimed that she belonged to SC (Mala) caste.

“The IO further examined and recorded the statement of the (Gurajala) village sarpanch Mahankali Seethamma who stated that the family of the deceased is known to her and distantly related to her and they all, including Radhika Vemula, mother of the deceased belong to Vaddera caste,” it said.

Radhika Vemula, while taking exception to the statement made by Mani Kumar had, however, claimed that she belonged to SC (Mala) caste.

“My husband belongs to Vaddera caste. After the birth of my third child, we separated over family disputes. Thereafter, I took care of my three children, and lived in a Mala locality. Three of my children were brought up in the locality following SC Mala customs,” she had said while addressing the media at University of Hyderabad on January 23.

A requisition was also filed before the Guntur urban tahsildar to enquire and certify the caste of Radhika and her two brothers.