Telangana govt moves HC to reopen Rohith Vemula case; bill to fight caste bias ready
HYDERABAD: Deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka on Friday announced that Congress govt had approached the high court seeking a directive to reopen the Rohith Vemula case, vowing that those responsible for the PhD scholar's death "will not be spared.
"
The move comes nearly three months after leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha,
Rahul Gandhi
, wrote to chief minister A Revanth Reddy to enact a law against caste discrimination named after the 26-year-old Dalit student-activist from University of Hyderabad (UoH), who had died by suicide in Jan 2016.
You Can Also Check:
Hyderabad AQI
|
Weather in Hyderabad
|
Bank Holidays in Hyderabad
|
Public Holidays in Hyderabad
Talking to reporters at the AICC headquarters in Delhi, alongside the party's SC cell chairman Rajendra Pal Gautam, Bhatti said state govt was working on the Rohith Vemula Act to provide legal safeguards against caste-based discrimination in higher education institutions.
The draft bill has been sent to the law department for vetting, he said.
Telangana police filed a closure report in the case last year, which gave a clean chit to all the accused, including current Telangana BJP chief N Ramchander Rao. Revanth, however, rejected the closure report and said the investigation was on.
"The entire country hung its head in shame the day Rohith Vemula died. It is our responsibility to ensure such a tragedy never happens again," said Bhatti, who is also an alumnus of UoH.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around
Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List
Undo
He attacked BJP, accusing it of not only failing Dalit youth but also rewarding individuals named in the caste discrimination case linked to Rohith's death.
"The then BJP MP Bandaru Dattatreya, MLC N Ramchander Rao and ABVP leader from UoH N Susheel Kumar - all named in the case - have been rewarded," he said.
'BJP rewarding those named in Rohith case'
He demanded, 'Dattatreya was made governor, Ramchander is now BJP's Telangana president, and Susheel Kumar has been appointed as an assistant professor in a central university.
The BJP should apologise unconditionally to the nation for this.'
Bhatti alleged that a systematic campaign of pressure and harassment was mounted against Rohith and four other students, with interference coming from Union HRD (now education) ministry. According to him, Ramchander Rao allegedly pressured local police to file cases against the students, while the university's administration, under external pressure, expelled them from the hostel — which pushed Rohith to take the extreme step.
Citing Rohith's suicide note and earlier petitions to university authorities, Bhatti said they reflected the deep despair faced by marginalised students. 'When Rohith wrote in a heartbreaking note that Dalit students should be given a rope along with admission—so that they can hang themselves—it shattered the conscience of the nation,' the deputy CM said.
He recalled Rahul Gandhi had immediately visited the campus, met with student groups, and offered support to Rohith's mother, expressing solidarity with the cause of social justice.
The deputy CM emphasised that the proposed Rohith Vemula Act would aim to institutionalise safeguards for Dalits, Adivasis, and other marginalised communities, especially in educational institutions. 'Rahul Gandhi's commitment gave hope to millions. This Act will translate that hope into legal protection,' he said.
'This is not just about one university or one student. It is about what kind of country we want to build. The govt's fundamental duty is to protect the dignity, rights, and lives of every citizen, especially those who have historically been denied of them,' he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
5 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Cong's ‘appeasement' politics led to Partition: Adityanath
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said that the 1947 Partition was a dark chapter 'born out of appeasement politics of the Congress party' that shattered Sanatan Bharat's unity and inflicted deep wounds on the nation. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, deputy CMs Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Prasad Maurya, and others at the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day exhibition in Lucknow on Thursday. (HT Photo) He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with reviving this forgotten history by declaring August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day in 2021. 'Today, the entire country mourns, remembering the horrors of August 14, 1947,' Adityanath said while inaugurating an exhibition on the occasion at GPO Park in Hazratganj. Continuing his attack, Adityanath said that while revolutionaries willingly embraced martyrdom for India's freedom, the Congress divided the nation in its 'greed for power'. 'The Congress's policies led to the ethnic cleansing of Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists in places like Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Multan in West Pakistan,' the chief minister said., 'The violence claimed 15-20 lakh lives and displaced crores, marking one of the darkest episodes in history,' he added. He further accused the then Congress government of showing complete apathy towards those displaced. 'No memorials were built and no museums were established in remembrance of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians who were forced to leave their ancestral homes. Their suffering was erased from public memory,' Adityanath said. He praised PM Modi for granting citizenship and rehabilitation rights to refugees through the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), noting that for the first time, displaced people in Jammu and Kashmir and other regions received citizenship and began contributing to India's development. 'The Congress never made any sincere effort for their rehabilitation,' the CM said. Paying homage to the victims, Adityanath announced that the state government will provide land on leases and full rehabilitation to eligible families under the CAA. 'We are committed to protecting their rights and ensuring their dignity,' he affirmed. Emphasising the importance of connecting the younger generation with history, Adityanath said the exhibition portrays the grim reality of Partition, the massacres, riots, and forced migrations. 'Under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, this initiative is healing old wounds and awakening future generations to historical truths.' the CM said. Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, cabinet minister Swatantra Dev Singh, and BJP state president Bhupendra Chaudhary among others were present on the occasion.
The Hindu
5 minutes ago
- The Hindu
BJP accuses Congress govt. of ‘smear campaign' against Dharmasthala, Heggade
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday questioned the manner in which the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was conducting a probe into the alleged case of mass burials at Dharmasthala and accused the Congress government of a 'smear campaign' against the Dharmasthala temple and its pattadhikari D. Veerendra Heggade. Former Minister V. Sunil Kumar, who initiated the debate in the Legislative Assembly, alleged that under the pretext of the probe, the government had 'hatched a conspiracy' to spread falsehood against Hindu dharma and the place. Not a single FIR had been filed despite hundreds of social media posts 'slandering' the temple, Shri Manjunatha Swamy, and Dr. Heggade, he said, and questioned the government's silence. There had been a deliberate smear campaign by certain individuals and the government's apparent sympathy towards them has raised suspicion, the BJP leader claimed. Stating that no one was opposing justice for Soujanya, who was murdered in 2012, he said some YouTubers, in the name of freedom of expression, were attacking religious beliefs. The BJP member questioned the government's 'agenda' behind the probe and suspected the role of the INDIA bloc and the Congress high command in the entire episode. Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok, members S. Suresh Kumar, Araga Jnanendra, B.Y. Vijayendra, Harish Poonja, S.R. Vishwanath, Aravind Bellad (all BJP), and Basanagouda R. Patil Yatnal spoke against the government and demanded continuation of SIT probe to identify the people, organisations, and alleged source of funding behind the 'smear campaign' against the temple. Mr. Suresh Kumar claimed the SIT had 'no common sense' and it has been dancing to the tunes of the complainant. Mr. Ashok claimed there was 'a gang' behind the complaint and it had put pressure on the Chief Minister to order the probe. Terming the mask-wearing person (the complainant) as 'Spiderman' who had been enjoying all privileges and was provided security, he said lakhs of taxpayers' money had been spent on the digging. He demanded a NIA probe to nab groups supporting the complainant and sponsoring the 'smear campaign'. Mr. Poonja, who represents Belthangady, demanded that the SIT report be made public. Mr. Jnanendra said the police should have conducted a preliminary probe of the complainant before starting the digging. Mr. Yatnal warned a 'Ayodhya-like movement will be launched' if the government did not stop. All BJP members demanded a halt on the social media posts, a narco test of the complainant, and tabling of the interim probe report. SIT probe aimed at revealing truth: Home Minister In reply to the Opposition's remarks against the government, Home Minister G. Parameshwara said the probe 'should not take a political or a dharmic turn.' In a terse reply to the Opposition, he said: 'We have not formed SIT under any pressure. The probe is aimed at unearthing the truth and ensuring justice. We have huge respect for Dharmasthala.' The government has given a free hand to the SIT and action would be taken against any persons who launch false campaigns. He noted the rural development and women empowerment projects, education provided to lakhs of students by trusts headed by the pattadhikari and asked BJP members: 'Don't you need a probe for Dr. Heggade to come clean? Truth will come out as per the framework of the law.' The Home minister is expected to provide a detailed reply on Monday.
Time of India
7 minutes ago
- Time of India
No pause on Russian oil imports, India continues imports based on economic rationale: IOC Chairman
New Delhi: India has not halted oil purchases from Russia in response to the US President's tariff threat and continues to buy based solely on economic considerations, said AS Sahney, Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the country's largest oil firm. Independence Day 2025 Before Trump, British used tariffs to kill Indian textile Bank of Azad Hind: When Netaji gave India its own currency Swadeshi 2.0: India is no longer just a market, it's a maker Purchase volumes may fluctuate monthly based on the discounts offered on Russian crude grades like Urals. While discounts had previously reached as high as USD 40 per barrel, they have narrowed to just USD 1.5 late last month, resulting in reduced offtake. Discounts have since widened to about USD 2.70. However, India's intent to continue buying Russian oil remains unchanged. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Container Houses Indonesia (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search ads Search Now Undo India became the largest customer of Russian oil from 2022, after western countries shunned Russian oil and imposed sanctions on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. Sahney said refiners like IOC buy crude oil from Russia purely on economic consideration and have not been asked to cut or boost purchase in response to US tariffs, he said. Live Events "There is no pause," he said. Russian oil has continued to flow to Indian refiners in July as well as this month. "We continue to buy, purely based on economic considerations, that is to say if the pricing and characteristics of the crude make sense in our scheme of processing, we buy," he told reporters here. "No special effort is being made to either increase or decrease (the import volumes). We are buying crude as per economic considerations," he said. Imports from Russia made up for 22-23 per cent of all the crude oil that IOC refineries processed in the April-June period. US President Donald Trump last week announced an additional 25 per cent tariff on US imports from India -- raising the overall duty to 50 per cent -- as a penalty for the country's continued imports of Russian oil. Since the steep tariffs are likely to hit the USD 40 billion of non-exempt exports that India does to the US, there has been chatter around stopping or curtailing oil imports from Russia. "There are no sanctions on Russian crude," he said. "India has not done anything that violates any sanctions". Separately, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) Director (Finance) Vetsa Ramakrishna Gupta on an investor call said the discounts have narrowed to USD 1.5 per barrel, and led to lower imports last month. In the first quarter, Russian oil made up 34 per cent of BPCL's crude intake and the company hopes to return to a 30-35 per cent ratio as long as there are no sanctions, he said. Before February 2022, Russian crude oil accounted for less than 1 per cent of India's total oil imports. However, after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, western nations shunned Russian energy, leading to Russian crude being available at discounted rates compared to global benchmarks. Seizing the economic opportunity, India ramped up its purchases, significantly increasing its reliance on Russian oil to meet domestic energy needs. Russian crude oil now meets 30 per cent of the requirement. Sahney said at no time was import of crude oil from Russia sanctioned and so India continued to purchase keeping in mind economic considerations. "Such purchases will continue unless sanctions are imposed," he said. "We have not got any instruction (from the government) to either increase or decrease purchase. We are doing business as usual." About talk of refiners being asked to increase purchases from the US in a bid to placate Trump, IOC Chairman said, "Neither are we being told to buy more nor are we told to buy less from US or any other destination. Economic considerations dictate our actions."
