Lost faith in State, will focus on SC/ST Act: Rohith’s friends

HYDERABAD: Commemorating one year of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula’s submission of his “suicide notice” to University of Hyderabad (UoH) vice-chancellor Appa Rao Podile on Sunday, three of the students who were socially boycotted along with him, shared with the media their plans to strengthen Justice for Rohith movement.

They expressed huge disappointment over inaction in the case. It was on December 18 last year that Rohith wrote a letter to Appa Rao to draw his attention towards social boycott faced by him and four other students on grounds of their caste. Dontha Prashant, Vijay Pedapudi and Seshaiah Chemudugunta were among the students suspended.

“On the basis of the letter, which was nothing but a suicide note, the police should have arrested Appa Rao. Instead they are delaying all these proceedings only in order to favour this casteist criminals and to favour the BJP Union ministers, Opposition leaders including the chief minister. Rohith would have become an bureaucrat or IPS officer had he been alive. No action has been initiated in order to provide justice to him. We have lost complete faith in the state government apparatus, in the chief minister of Telangana, in the BJP-led Centre and on MHRD. The MHRD three member committtee has already proved the culpability of the vice-chancellor but chose not to act,” Prashant said.

Sharing their plan of action, the trio said that they will take up this matter of violation of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and meet political parties in the state asking for their support in the fight. Prashant also said that they will urge the government to discuss the issue of violation of SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act in the winter session.

Late on Saturday, the students at UoH carried a rally on campus raising demands to punish the removal of Appa Rao and provide justice for Rohith. They burnt the effigies of Appa Rao.