Under attack over the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in Central University of Hyderabad, Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani launched a counter offensive accusing her political rivals of instigating protests.
At a press conference, Irani said it was not a Dalit versus non Dalit confrontation as it was not made out to be and there were attempts to ignite passions for political gains.
26-year-old Rohit committed suicide on Sunday by hanging himself in a hostel room, months after he and four other Dalit students were barred from the facility for allegedly attacking an ABVP leader.
She also defended Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya -- whose complaint was alleged to be one of the reasons which drove Rohith to suicide -- and her own ministry which acted on it.
Her defences were later trashed by student leaders at the varsity, and by her political rivals.
Here are the takeaways from Irani's press conference:
This is not a caste battle: "There has been a malicious attempt to ignite passions and present this as a caste battle which it is not. It is not a dalit versus non-dalit confrontation as has been the efforts of some to project it that way...An effort is on to instigate students all over the country. My appeal is, please do not instigate students and communities deliberately."
Student leaders at the university countered this saying it is not a BJP versus Congress issue, but an issue of human rights.
Rohith's suicide note did not name anyone: Irani produced a certified copy of the suicide note wriiten by Rohith and said it did not mention any university official, political organisation or any MP. "Only ASA ( Ambedkar Students Association) has been mentioned in the end, It says, sorry for disappointing all of you.There is some bad water in us."
Student leaders at the university pointed out that Irani was silent on the letter reportedly written by Rohith to the VC a month ago. The letter, as reported by the Indian Express, expressed anger over the suspensions and asked the VC to arrange "euthanasia facilities" for the five students.
Vasity panel had Dalit member: "The executive council of the University that approved the expulsion of five students including Rohith and an executive sub-committee, which included a senior dalit faculty member, was subsequently constituted to go into the matter and it also upheld the punishment...The executive council was not constituted by this government, members were nominated by previous UPA government."
Student leaders claim the body only had a co-opted SC member.
Hostel warden was Dalit: "The hostel warden, who communicated the decision to the five students to stay out of the hostel, is a Dalit."
High Court refused to intervene: The High Court had also refused to intervene in the decisions of the university when the students had challenged them.
Letters from HRD ministry: Irani said the six letters sent to the Hyderabad university ( as follow-up on Dattatreya's letter seeking action against the students) was done in accordance with the
protocol of the Central Secretariat Manual of Office Procedure. She pointed out that six letters were sent by her ministry even when Congress MP Hanumantha Rao made a complaint of campus violence in the varsity.
Hanumantha Rao , however, told CNN-IBN that he never heard from the HRD ministry on his complaint.
Dattatreya is OBC: The minister was at pains to project that the ABVP student, who was attacked in a student rivalry, belonged to the OBC community as was Union Minister Dattatreya, who had written a letter to her about the attack.
She also sought to downplay Dattatreya's letter which had sought action on the issue of clash between two student bodies and the "anti-national activities" in the varsity
Dattatreya earlier defended his letter saying that as a local MP he only forwarded a complaint he received.
Comments
0 comment