The Delhi government on Wednesday decided to give a job to dalit student Rohith Vemula’s younger brother, after his mother Radhika Vemula met chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The Delhi government on Wednesday decided to give a job to dalit student Rohith Vemula’s younger brother, after his mother Radhika Vemula met chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. Rohith’s family has also expressed its desire to leave Hyderabad and shift to the national capital.
Radhika was accompanied by her younger son Raja Vemula, who is a post-graduate in applied geology, and Sunkanna Velpula, one of Rohith’s closest friends, among others.
“His mother requested the chief minister to provide a government job to the younger brother since the family does not have any source of income. Mr Kejriwal had assured the family of considering their demand,” a statement issued by the Delhi government said.
In the meeting, Rohith’s mother had reportedly expressed her desire to leave Hyderabad. The family, which had been living in Andra Pradesh’s Guntur district, had moved to Hyderabad after Rohith committed suicide last month.
The Cabinet, headed by the chief minister, met later in the afternoon and decided to give an “appropriate job” to Raja, as and when he applies for the same.
The family participated in a protest march on Tuesday demanding justice for Rohith, who committed suicide at Hyderbad University.
Mr Kejriwal had joined the protest where he lambasted the Centre, accusing it of waging a “war” against students and voiced his support for “Rohith Act”, a law proposed by the agitating students against discrimination in universities. Addressing the protesters, Radhika had attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking “what action did you take against your minister who had called my son anti-national ”
She also condemned the “attacks” on students in universities, including JNU, and said such things “should be stopped.” Rohith’s body was found hanging in a hostel room on Hyderabad University campus on January 17.
The Cabinet also extended the scheme of paying '1 crore ex-gratia to the families of those defence personnel who lose their lives on account of operations, calamities and disaster. “Under the scheme the next kin of deceased are eligible to get '1 crore as ex-gratia,” the statement said.
