Latest news with #KarnatakaRohithVemula
Hindustan Times
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Karnataka government prepares draft of Rohith Vemula Bill
The Karnataka government has prepared the draft of the Rohith Vemula Bill, which aims at preventing discrimination against students belonging to Scheduled castes (SC), Scheduled tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and minority communities in higher educational institutions, in a development that comes days after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's letter in the matter to chief minister Siddaramaiah. The draft bill — titled Karnataka Rohith Vemula (Prevention of Exclusion or Injustice), (Right to Education and Dignity) Bill, 2025 — proposes up to one-year jail term and ₹10,000 fine for those discriminating against SC, ST, OBC and minority students. The government will also hold accountable the head of the higher education institution where discrimination is reported, according to the proposed bill, seen by HT. 'This Bill seeks to prevent exclusion, discrimination, or injustice against students belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, other backward classes (OBC) and minorities in institutions of higher learning under the purview of the department of higher education,' the proposed bill's objective states. State's law and parliamentary affairs minister HK Patil told HT that he has sent the proposed legislation to the CM, adding the government could either table it in the next session of the legislature or bring an ordinance. 'The primary objective of the proposed legislation is to ensure that all students, regardless of caste, class, creed, gender, or nationality, are provided equal access to higher education, as well as to safeguard their dignity and right to fair treatment on campus,' Patil said. Sharing details about the proposed bill, Patil said it envisages prohibition of discrimination in admissions or within the campus environment; provision for lodging complaints in case of violation; punitive measures for individuals and institutions found guilty of discriminatory practices and withdrawal of government's financial aid to institutions violating the law. Once implemented by the department of higher education, the law will be applicable across all 34 government universities, 16 deemed universities and 10 private universities in the state. 'With the government's steadfast commitment to social justice and equality, this will be a landmark bill. The drafting of the bill was undertaken with utmost care and deliberation, in consultation with esteemed legal luminaries and experts, to ensure that the proposed legislation stands on strong constitutional footing while upholding the principles of fairness, inclusivity, and dignity for the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, other backward classes, and minorities,' Patil said. 'This collective and thoughtful approach reflects the government's resolve to create an educational ecosystem where every individual is empowered to pursue knowledge without barriers or discrimination,' he further said. The development comes less than a week after former Congress president wrote to Siddaramaiah, urging the party-led state government to enact a law named Rohith Vemula Act for ensuring that no one faces caste-based discrimination in the education system. '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,' Gandhi wrote in his letter dated April 16 to Siddaramaiah. Vemula, a PhD scholar in University of Hyderabad, died by suicide allegedly due to caste-based discrimination in 2016. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha also shared the letter, in which he highlighted the discrimination BR Ambedkar faced in his lifetime, on X on April 18. Responding to Gandhi's post, Siddaramaiah wrote on X: 'Our Government stands firm in its resolve to enact the Rohith Vemula Act in Karnataka — to ensure no student faces discrimination based on caste, class, or religion. We will bring this legislation at the earliest to honour the dreams of Rohith, Payal, Darshan, and countless others who deserved dignity, not exclusion.' Patil said the bill was being worked out by the parliamentary affairs and legislation department. 'We fast forwarded the exercise after Rahul Gandhi's letter,' he said. The former Congress president has also urged party-ruled Telangana and Himachal Pradesh to come up with the Rohith Vemula Act to end caste discrimination in education system.
Deccan Herald
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Landmark law will need systemic revamp
With Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressing his inclination to enact the Rohith Vemula Act, as advocated by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the state is poised to pioneer a law specifically aimed at shielding Dalit and marginalised students from harassment and oppression in educational institutions. The draft legislation – The Karnataka Rohith Vemula (Prevention of Exclusion or Injustice) (Right to Education and Dignity) Bill – proposes a one-year jail term and a fine of Rs 10,000 for those discriminating against SC, ST, OBC and minority students. The US, too, has a similar law. Vemula, a 26-year-old PhD student from a marginalised background, died by suicide in 2018, citing systemic discrimination at the University of Hyderabad. His death, which sparked nation-wide protests, was not an isolated incident. The government admitted in Parliament that most student suicides in premier institutes – IITs, IIMs, and medical colleges – involved students from Dalit and other oppressed communities. Over 19,000 students from these backgrounds dropped out from central universities and public institutions in just five years leading up to 2023, underlining the scale of Rohith Vemula Act moots constitutional safeguards, caste-based discrimination remains embedded on campuses. B R Ambedkar, the architect of India's constitution, himself endured humiliation and segregation in school – yet, over a century later, little has changed. Reports like the ones by the Prof S K Thorat Committee (2007) and the Mungekar Committee (2012) have repeatedly documented the exclusion and abuse faced by Dalit students – called by their caste names, sidelined academically, and denied fellowships, forcing them to fight for their rights. Even today, caste-based segregation in hostels persists. The UGC's Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions guidelines aim to curb such discrimination, but enforcement remains lax. Anti-discrimination officers remain toothless, while reserved category students are often stigmatised as 'quota students'..While the Rohith Vemula Act is necessary, it is not sufficient. Real reform must begin at the primary and secondary school levels where Dalit students often lack access to quality education, which affects their confidence and academic performance in higher education. A dedicated mechanism to monitor and address campus discrimination is essential. So is a broader societal shift. Campuses must become sanctuaries of equality, not oppression. Centuries of caste injustice cannot be undone with a single law. The privileged must acknowledge their role in perpetuating inequity and work towards dismantling it. As Karnataka considers this legislation, let it be remembered that laws can initiate change, but lasting justice demands collective conscience and compassion.
