ProMASS News Bureau: Jan 18, 2016
Hyderabad police registered a case against Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and three others on Jan 18 under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act in connection with the suicide of Rohit Vemula, a research scholar of Hyderabad Central University.
According to police officials, the minister was also charged with abatement to suicide under the section 306 of the Indian Penal Code. Police filed FIR mentioning the Labour Minister, Vice Chancellor Appa Rao , ABVP leader Susheel and BJYM leader Vishnu. Police Registered the case against the Union Minister following allegation that he wrote to the Union HRD Ministry seeking action against Rohit and four other Research Scholars of the University for alleged assault of an ABVP leader.
The Trouble began when the body of Rohit, a Dalit PhD scholar, was found hanging at the hostel room of the Central University yesterday. He was among the five research scholars who were suspended by the University during August last year and case was registered against them for allegedly assaulting an ABVP leader. Meanwhile, Mr Dattareya said neither he nor his party is in anyway connected with the suicide of the Student. Meanwhile, the HRD Ministry has sent a 2-member fact-finding team to Hyderabad. The team will submit a report to the HRD Ministry.
Meanwhile, the Congress has demanded resignation of Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya for allegedly abetting suicide of a PhD scholar in Hyderabad Central University. Party spokesperson R P N Singh said Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani must immediately visit the campus to take stock of the situation.
Mr Singh said the government should focus on uniting the people instead of dividing them on what he called caste lines. He said the Vice-Chancellor and the people involved in this episode should be immediately removed. The Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani has said Ministry has sent a two member fact-finding team to look into the suicide of PhD student Rohit Vemula in Hyderabad. Talking to media, the Minister said she does not want to make any political statement in the moment of tragedy.
Mrs Irani also said Centre has no role in the administration and day to day functioning of the Hyderabad Central University. She also expressed her condolences at the death of the student. The team led by Shakila T Shamsu, OSD in the ministry, and comprising another Deputy Secretary level officer Surat Singh, have left for Hyderabad. They will look into the entire matter and submit the report to the HRD ministry. The National Commission of Scheduled Castes Chairman, Dr P. L. Punia visited Hyderabad University this evening and termed the suicide incident of Research Scholar Rohit Vemula as unfortunate. He said the commission will take the incident seriously.
BJP today said it is the habit of Congress to level baseless allegations against the party leaders and Ministers and demand their resignations. Talking to AIR, Party national secretary, Srikant Sharma said that Congress is trying to politicize a tragic incident. He said the incident should not be seen from caste angle.
