Explained: What is the new Rohith Vemula Bill 2025 proposed in Karnataka?

Business Standard

4 days ago

The Karnataka government is set to introduce a bill named after Rohith Vemula, the Dalit PhD scholar who died by suicide in 2016, to tackle caste-based discrimination in higher educational institutions. The proposed legislation, titled 'The Karnataka Rohith Vemula (Prevention of Exclusion or Injustice)(Right to Education and Dignity) Bill, 2025', is expected to be tabled in the upcoming Monsoon Session of the legislature.
What is Karnataka's Rohith Vemula Bill?
According to the draft, the Bill seeks to 'prevent exclusion or injustice and to safeguard the right to education and dignity for the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and minorities' across public, private, and deemed universities in Karnataka, The Indian Express reported.
What penalties does the Bill propose?
The draft legislation makes cast discrimination a non-bailable and cognisable offence. It provides for strict penalties for individuals who commit or abet acts of discrimination.
-A first-time offence will attract one year of imprisonment and a ₹10,000 fine, with courts empowered to award compensation up to ₹1 lakh to the victim.
-A repeat offence will invite a three-year jail term along with a ₹1 lakh fine.
-Institutions found violating inclusivity provisions — such as not being open to all castes, creeds, or genders — may face similar penalties and loss of government grants or financial aid.
Why is the Bill named after Rohith Vemula?
Rohith Vemula, a PhD scholar from the University of Hyderabad, died by suicide in January 2016, alleging caste-based discrimination in his suicide note. His death triggered national outrage and debates on the marginalisation of Dalit students in Indian universities.
In April this year, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi wrote to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging the state to bring legislation in Vemula's name to combat caste prejudice in educational settings. The proposal was also a promise in the Congress manifesto for the Karnataka Assembly elections.
What is the political controversy around the Bill?
As Karnataka moves forward with the Bill, political tensions have escalated in neighbouring Telangana. Bharatiya Janata Party's Telangana president N Ramchander Rao has issued a legal notice to state Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka for alleging Rao's involvement in Vemula's suicide.
On Tuesday, Rao demanded an unconditional apology within three days and threatened criminal proceedings and a ₹25 lakh defamation suit if the demand is not met. The notice called Vikramarka's remarks 'ex-facie defamatory' and said that Telangana Police had found no evidence of Rao's involvement, having cleared him and others in a closure report filed last year.
What are the Congress and BJP saying?
The Congress criticised Rao's elevation as Telangana BJP chief on July 1, calling it a reward for those who act against Dalits and Adivasis. On July 11, Deputy CM Vikramarka recalled the 2016 incident, alleging that Rao had visited the university with supporters to pressurise the administration into acting against Dalit students of the Ambedkar Students' Association.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, is defending Rao and accusing Congress leaders of false and malicious accusations, pointing to the Telangana Police's clean chit in the case. Rao, a senior advocate and ABVP veteran, has denied all allegations. (With agency inputs)