The suicide committed by PhD scholar Rohith Vemula of the Hyderabad University due to political interference on the basis of caste discrimination is a matter of shame for the entire humankind in today’s civilized society.
“Due to political interference by Ministers Bandaru Dattatreya and Smriti Irani, the nation lost a bright scholar like Vemula,” said Odisha Dalit Adhikar Manch (ODAM) president Manas Jena at a protest neeting organised by the ODAM here on Wednesday. He also pitched for stopping of all kind of inequality among students in educational institutions.
Various political leaders, Dalit and Adivasi leaders from various districts, rights activists and intellectuals attended the seminar and paid deep condolence to Vemula’s death. They condemned the existing inequality in education sector beginning from Anganwadi centres in rural areas to universities in urban areas. They called upon educational institutions to stop playing with the lives of students by being influenced by political heavyweights. They also stressed on the need for widespread people’s movement for strengthening of the quota system in education sector.
CPM leader Santosh DAS, Samajwadi Party State chief Rabi Behera, CPI leader Ramakrushna Panda, activist PK Jena and ODAM coordinator Prasant Mallick spoke, among others.