Rahul Gandhi fasts with students, slams PM, RSS

Rahul Gandhi on Saturday went on a day-long fast at the Hyderabad Central University backing protesting students on the Dalit scholar suicide issue and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS for trying to crush the spirit of students by imposing “one idea from the top”.

“My main opposition to Mr Modi and the 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.

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.

Insisting that the incident is not related to one individual or any one particular community, Mr Gandhi 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.

Mr Gandhi first joined agitating students in a candlelight vigil past midnight to mark the birthday of Rohith, who would have turned 27 on Saturday, and later went on a nearly nine-hour fast with them. “Do not force your idea on these students. Give them their due dignity and respect,” he said.