Rohith Vemula, A Scholar of Hyderabad University, Committed Suicide
Tags: Death of Dalit Scholar
Related Issue: Right to Life, Right against discrimination, Right to Dissent, Right of Association
On 17th January, 2016, a Dalit Ph.D. scholar of Hyderabad University, Rohith Vemula committed suicide in one of the hostel rooms. He was one of 5 research scholars who had been suspended in August, 2015 for allegedly attacking a student leader of the Akhil Baharathi Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and later forced to vacate the hostel. Though an Enquiry set up by the University exonerated Rohith and the other 4 scholars another enquiry was ordered, at the instance of the Union Minister, Bandaru Dattatreya and persistent follow up by Union Minister for Human Resources Development, Smriti Irani. Rohith’s monthly doctoral stipend was stopped forcing him to undergo tremendous financial difficulties and mental stress and pressure. In fact in his suicide note he states that he was owed Rs. 1,75,000/-
The issue has once again raised the ugly reality of caste discrimination, especially against Dalits, in educational institutions and the difficulties that students from marginalised communities have to undergo to seek their basic rights, let alone issues of social justice. We carry the note written by Rohith found after his death which poignantly highlights the difficulties faced by students from socially discriminated and economically weaker sections face in their efforts to secure quality education and fair access and opportunities for social growth and development.