The protesters, which according to the organisers will include students from central universities across the country, will begin at Ambedkar Bhawan at 11 am and culminate at Jantar Mantar.
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The rally, jointly organized by Hyderabad and JNU students, was organized primarily to agitate against the ABVP-Centre nexus that allegedly drove a 25-year-old Dalit scholar, Rohith Vemula, to suicide in University of Hyderabad, a month ago; the bullying by saffron forces of JNU students over the last week became another rallying point.
Gandhi also demanded a law against discrimination in educational institutions across the country.
The Congress Vice President also slammed the government for not including issues like Rohith’s death and difficulties being faced by students of universities in the President’s address to Parliament today. “He is an inspiration and that is why we all stand for him”, Sunkanna Velpula, also a friend of Rohith, said.
“If Modiji does not mend ways then very soon the youth and students will come together to teach him a lesson”, Kejriwal said, adding “I had said earlier, “Modiji students se pange mat lena” (don’t mess with students). Otherwise they will rock your government and you won’t have a clue”.
Vemula committed suicide on January 17, triggering widespread protests demanding action against central ministers Smriti Irani, Bandaru Dattatreya and others, blaming them for the suicide. This is happening in universities across the country and students’ voices are being muted, ” he said.
Although political parties Congress and AAP did try to hijack the platform to further their political agenda, they were no match to students’ anger and enthusiasm vis-a-vis freedom to dissent. The protest at Jantar Mantar saw scores of student activists from CYSS and NSUI take part. Students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, who are demanding the release of Kanhaiya Kumar, have also joined in.
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The protesters, including hundreds of students from University of Hyderabad and Osmania University, raised Ambedkarite slogans such as “Jai Bhim” and demanded justice for Vemula, alleging that the Centre was responsible for his suicide. We are with the Dalits and will fight for those who are being oppressed, ” said Karat.
