HYDERABAD — Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Monday, urged the Telangana government to enact the Rohith Vemula Act against caste discrimination in educational institutions.
In a letter to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Rahul Gandhi called for putting an end to the caste discrimination through a legislation.
Rohith Vemula was a Dalit research scholar of the University of Hyderabad, who died by suicide over alleged caste discrimination in 2016.
Rohith’s death sparked massive protests in campuses across the country over caste discrimination in educational institutions.
Rahul Gandhi, during his visit to Hyderabad University, had promised that if voted to power Congress will bring the Rohith Vemula Act.
The Congress leader, in his letter dated April 17 requested CM Revanth Reddy to enact the Rohith Vemula Act.
The Congress had promised to enact the Rohith Vemula Act in the Assembly elections.
His letter to Rahul Gandhi came days after he sent a similar letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The latter wrote back, informing him that he has instructed his legal advisor and team to prepare a draft of the Rohith Vemula Act.
Rahul Gandhi, in his letter to Revanth Reddy, quoted B.R. Ambedkar on two instances of caste discrimination the latter had faced.
“There was plenty of food with us. There was hunger burning within us; with all this we were to sleep without food, that was because we could get no water, and we could get no water because we were untouchables,” he quoted Ambedkar, who was describing an incident during a long bullock cart journey.
The Leader of Opposition also referred to Ambedkar’s experience in school.
“I knew I was an untouchable, and that untouchables were subjected to certain indignities and discriminations. For instance, I knew that in the school I could not sit in the middle of my classmates according to my rank, but that I was to sit in a corner by myself.”
“I know you would agree that what B. R. Ambedkar faced was shameful and should not be endured by any child in India. It is a shame that even today, millions of students from Dalit, Adivasi and OBC communities have to face such brutal discrimination in our educational system,” wrote Rahul Gandhi.
“The murder of bright young people like Rohith Vemula, Payal Tadvi and Darshan Solanki is simply not acceptable. It is time to put an end to this. I urge the Telangana government to enact Rohith Vemula Act so that no child in India has to face what B.R Ambedkar, Rohith Vemula and millions of others have had to endure,” he added.
Rohith Vemula was one of the five Dalit scholars suspended by the university authorities after an alleged assault on ABVP activist Susheel Kumar.
The 26-year-old, died by suicide in his hostel room on January 17, 2016. He left a poignant suicide note, highlighting the caste discrimination in the institutions of higher learning.
The suicide had triggered massive unrest on the central university campus and led to huge protests in universities across the country and raised questions about the treatment meted out to students from marginalised sections of the society. –IANS
