Bilkulonline.com, New Delhi, Feb 28: Seeking to put the Narendra Modi government on the defensive, the Congress and JD-U said on Saturday that they will bring a privilege motion against HRD minister Smriti Irani for “misleading parliament” over the suicide of Dalit student Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad university. Her speeches in the both Houses have drawn much appreciation from government supporters, but Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Friday stole a bit of Irani’s thunder by calling her bluff.
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Rohith Vemula’s mother Radhika slammed human resource development minister Smriti Irani, saying that even a “life imprisonment” will not be enough to punish her and others who are responsible for her son Rohith’s suicide. She conveniently forgot that when she made the same point in the press conference after Rohith’s death it was followed by resignations of as many as 40 staff members of the University as they charged her of lying on the Dalit representation.
The family and friends of Rohit also said that the minister’s contention that “nobody allowed a doctor near him” when he attempted suicide is also a lie. Not one attempt was made to take him to a doctor. “Who uses a child as a political tool?” shot back a furious Smriti Irani, who is a member of the Rajya Sabha. He said the lies were regarding statements that no one was allowed the dead body, including police.
Rohith’s mother, Radhika Vemula, said she and her children all had Dalit certificates.
Trouble started as soon as the House met for the day with Mayawati speaking about Vemula issue. “It is these ministers and the BJP whose political interference and the casteist attitude of the VC and other complicit administrators that led to the politicisation and death of Rohith, ” the students said. Shora said that the “interim report” had taken the “arbitrary” decision to name and suspend students without listening to any defense from the accused, and within a day of the inquiry. She wants Smriti Irani to explain “how my son had become an anti nationalist”.
Police officers, including an inspector, from the Gadchibowli police station reached the hostel the same evening, Prasanth said, corroborating Malpath and deputy commissioner of police Kartikeya. She also said that she even spoke to his daughter regarding this. The students gave me facts, which totally contradict what the Minister said.
Most of the vice chancellors are Congress appointees, Irani said, adding she had asked them to listen to the students who come from different backgrounds and address their issues.
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Rohith was forced to commit suicide being expelled from the university allegedly at the behest of Irani’s ministry. Wasnik also said that the statement of Irani in parliament was contrary to the claims made by Rohith’s mother.
