Hyderabad scholar death: HRD to set up judicial commission on suicide

State government confirms Rohith was a dalit

Trouble is brewing for the Narendra Modi government as the Telangana government report sent to the Centre has reaffirmed that the deceased student, who committed suicide at Hyderabad Central University, was a dalit and the case comes under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. The state government report, that has been sent to the social justice ministry and Union home ministry, removes any doubt and says 26-year-old Rohith Vermula was a dalit scholar. The report shares details of the complaint and the FIR where it is alleged that “Rohith under went mental agony and could not bear the atrocities, humiliation, harrassment, insults and injustice” which he was subject to at the “instigation and abetment” of those named the FIR, that caused his death. The two ministries are studying the report and the social justice ministry, that is the nodal ministry on issues concerning SC/STs, has taken serious note.

The HRD ministry, on the basis of the report of its fact-finding team, has decided to set up a judicial commission to look into the sequence of events leading to Rohith’s suicide and submit its report within three months.

The state government report to the home and social justice ministries also encloses the letter written by the minister of state for labour and accused in the case, Bandaru Dattatreya, to HRD minister Smriti Irani on August 17, where he alleged the “university administration had become a mute spectator” to events where the university had become a “den of casteist, extremist and anti-national politics” when a large section of students held a protest against the execution of Yaqub Memon and clashed with the ABVP over this issue. Rohith’s friends and a section of students have alleged that Rohith’s suspension along with four other students followed the minister’s letter and the clash with the ABVP leader which led to his depression and eventual suicide.

According to the report sent to the MHA, while the first FIR was registered on January 17, under Section 174 CRPC mandating the police to enquire into the suicide, a second FIR was registered on January 18 for abetment to suicide and invoking Section 3 of SC/ST POA Act dealing with offences of atrocities against SC/STs.

The report names the minister of state for labour and MP from Secundarabad Bandaru Dattatreya, vice-chancellor P. Appa Rao, MLC N. Ramchendar Rao, Krishna Chaithanya, Nanadram Sushilkumar and Nandanam Diwakar as the accused mentioned in the FIR.

The two-member fact-finding team, in its report to the HRD ministry, is learnt to have also found a lack of “sensitivity” shown in some areas by the Hyderabad University authorities in dealing with the events that led to the suicide of the dalit student.

Sources said the team has also observed the need for inclusion of socially, educationally and economically disadvantaged students, as also recommended expeditious action on grievances from these students. Sources said to prevent such incidents in future, all vice-chancellors and senior administrators would be sensitised to reach out to students and there will be “zero tolerance” for any acts of discrimination on campus.

“The fact-finding committee constituted by the HRD ministry in the wake of the chain of unfortunate events at Central University Hyderabad submitted its report to the ministry on January 22, 2016. Based on its observations and findings, the ministry has decided to constitute a judicial commission to review the entire sequence of events and the circumstances and to establish the facts and correctives in the context of the university,” a HRD ministry statement said.

The HRD ministry has also chalked out a series of measures to address issues faced by the students from disadvantaged social, economic and educational background in higher educational institutions to prevent such unfortunate incidents in future. A special mechanism will be set up to receive and take expeditious action on grievances from these students.

It said peer group-assisted learning at IIT Gandhinagar would be extended to all higher educational institutions. Under this, mentors will be arranged for disadvantaged students not only to assist them in education but to support them to face challenges.

Sources also said HRD minister Smriti Irani spoke to Rohith Vemula’s mother on Friday and expressed her condolences.