HCU suicide: Under fire, Dattatreya says only forwarded students' representation

The Union Minister has been booked along with HCU V-C for ‘abetment’ of suicide.

Hyderabad

: Dismissing allegations that a letter written by him to HRD ministry led to the suspension of a Dalit scholar who later committed suicide, Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya on Wednesday sought to clarify that he merely forwarded a representation given to him by some students.

Rohith Vemula was one of the five students who was barred from accessing the hostel and other facilities of Hyderabad Central University.

-"Apart from being a Union Minister, I am also an elected member of Parliament from Secunderabad constituency. Since my entry into politics in 80s, I have always been a leader connected to masses and to all sections of the society on a daily basis, whether or not in any positions of power.

-"Taking representations from common people, constituents and forwarding it to concerned ministries is what I consider my earnest responsibility by being an elected people's representative,-" the Union Minister said in a statement.

Expressing -"deep shock-" over the scholar's demise, Dattatreya said he would have forwarded the representation in the same way had they been given by any student groups.

-"My role was only limited to forwarding these two representations. I would have happily forwarded representations of any other student body, if they had approached me,-" he said hoping that the matter now will rest with this clarification.

-"I have expressed my deep shock on learning about the death of Hyderabad University research scholar Rohit Vemula and I wish his family condolences and the strength to withstand and overcome this tragic loss,-" he added.

Elaborating the series of events, Dattatreya said on August 10, 2015 he received a representation on the -"state of affairs-" in the University, which, he said, disturbed him -"greatly-" and he forwarded the same to the Ministry of HRD hoping that things in the campus would change for better.

-"On 29th August 2015 I received a second representation in this and this too I forwarded to the MoHRD with a request, to look into the matter and to do the needful,-" he said.

-"The University of Hyderabad, is an autonomous institution with established procedures and I have no role in the administration of the University,-" he explained.