Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday demanded ‘strict’ punishment to the University of Hyderabad (UoH) Vice-Chancellor P Appa Rao, Union Minister of State Bandaru Dattatreya, and others ‘responsible’ for the suicide of Dalit Ph.D scholar Vemula Rohit.
Speaking after interacting with the parents of Rohit and students in the UoH campus here today, the Congress Vice-President said: “I came here not as a politician… There is no question of politicisation. But if some youngsters want to express what they feel, the institution should allow.’’
Without naming anybody, he said action should be taken against the ‘minister in Delhi’ and said a law should be enacted to ensure autonomy of universities and other institutions.
Referring to the demands of the student Joint Action Committee (JAC) for social justice, he said the Govt should provide compensation and ensure a better future for the parents of Rohit.
Rohit, a PhD scholar in the Centre for Knowledge, Innovation & Culture Studies, allegedly hung himself in a hostel room in the new research scholars’ hostel in the campus on Sunday.