HYDERABAD: After a brief lull, University of Hyderabad students are back in news and the struggle for justice to Rohith Vemula seems to have got the much requisite fuel and fodder with Union minister of urban development M.Venkaiah Naidu’s tweet.
He stirred the issue further by raking the topic during his speech in Chennai on Friday.
In the wake of UoH student union member Raju Kumar Sahu coming out openly against the JAC and terming its protests and demand for justice to Rohith Vemula as politically-sponsored, the minister had tweeted on Thursday: “HCU students union secretary resigns and makes startling revelations. Left and Congress role exposed in Rohit Vemula’s episode. They need to apologize to the nation.”
Calling Raju Kumar Sahu a backstabber and latest pawn in the hands of UoH vice-chancellor Podile Appa Rao, the students JAC members reiterated that their struggle would continue till they got justice. At a press conference on Friday, they said the minister’s tweet insulted the Dalit and student movement. “We are not apologetic for anything. The minister should apologise for his tweet first,” said Venkatesh Chauhan, a member of the JAC.
Sanjay Jonnalagadda, SFI state committee and JAC member, said Sahu was not active in the movement.
“His allegations about funding of the protests are baseless and we have the proof,” he said.
The BJP has asked the government to probe the source of funding for the ongoing agitation byUoH student groups and wanted to know how they were able to pay for the tent and “lavish parties” being held every day.
Party spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi a press conference in New Delhi on Friday said that the Joint Action Committee of 14 student groups were paying ` 5,000 a day for the tent and having lavish parties ever since January 17 when Vemula Rohith ended his life.
“I will definitely seek intelligence report and ask the government to probe the funding pattern and see if there are any external influences because this Congress-Communist network has conducted its business in academics in this fashion and manner,” she said.