Fighting to get justice for her son Rohith Vemula, who committed suicide in Hyderabad University allegedly due to caste bias on the campus, Radhika Vemula on Saturday told this newspaper that she coul
Fighting to get justice for her son Rohith Vemula, who committed suicide in Hyderabad University allegedly due to caste bias on the campus, Radhika Vemula on Saturday told this newspaper that she could now feel that Rohith is the son of the nation. She also expressed her gratitude for the support she had received from various quarters over the past few weeks.
“Rohith is among every one of us,” she said, adding, “Now, I realise that Rohith is the son of the nation. The BJP has been trying to hide its faults and is still in a mode of denial. We are getting support from various political parties that want to push for the enactment of Rohith Act gainst caste discrimination in educational institutions.”
Calling HRD minister Smriti Irani’s actions in Parliament as shameful, Ms Vemula asked: “How can a Union minister lie in a place like Parliament.”
“On humanitarian grounds, why would students stop the police and a university doctor to go near Rohith’s body after he committed suicide. They would save their friend’s life instead.”
“She (Ms Irani) blatantly lied in Parliament. All students who were present around Rohith after the incident are dear friends of him. Why would they not let the police and a doctor go near his body to check him ” asked Ms Vemula.
Ms Vemula said that she met CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday to put forward her views on Rohith Act. She also criticised the way the BJP was downplaying the whole issue and prove themselves faultless. “Passing such an act is the only way to get justice for my son,” said Ms Vemula.
Rohith mother also said that instead of her son, it could have been anyone. Just because her son was a dalit, he was targeted. “We know that it was an institutional murder and not suicide. But even, as the government says, it was a suicide, why was proper attention not paid to it. Why was faulty inquiry been done ” said Ms Vemula, adding that she would meet BSP supreme Mayawati next to express her concerns.
On Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s proposition for a job for Vemula’s brother Raja, Ms Vemula said: “He is working on it and soon something positive will come out.”
