PM breaks silence on dalit student's suicide; expresses grief

Modi made the reference to Rohit's suicide while noting that there was happiness about 21st century being projected as India's as it was the "youngest nation" in the world but such a development pained him.

 

"But we want to take this country in a direction where there is new enthusiasm and self confidence. We are making relentless effort to take the country in the direction of Ambedkar's dream," the Prime Minister said, adding that the nation cannot progress without following his vision.

 

In his about 35-minute speech, Modi repeatedly invoked the name and legacy of Ambedkar and asked students to show strong will and courage in the face of difficulties as the dalit icon did without wasting his time on making any complaint despite facing humiliation and difficulties.

 

"He did not waste time in complaining and lamenting. He did not seek anything from others. He instead took on the adversities and overcame all obstacles," Modi said, noting that the maker of Constitution always stressed on the need of education.

 

Ambedkar's personality expansive and global, Modi said, adding that he chose to serve India and its downtrodden even though he was welcome in any country in the world due to his high education.

 

Recalling a meeting of Dalit entrepreneurs he had attended recently, Modi said he saw Ambedkar's dream there and wanted the country's youth to be "job-creators and not job-seekers".

 

The Prime Minister also chose the occasion to list a number of schemes launched by his government to promote self-employment as he underlined that students face bigger challenge after they come out of their campus life and have to hunt for employment.

 

Exhorting the youths to face the challenges of life, Modi said the life history of most great men remind that majority of people who rose in their life had to face difficulties.

 

Dalit suicide case: HRD ministry to set up judicial panel

New Delhi: Based on the report by a fact- finding team, the HRD Ministry today decided to set up a Judicial Commission to look into the sequence of events leading to the suicide of Rohith Vemula, a dalit scholar at the Hyderabad Central University.

 

The Judicial Commission will submit its report within three months, a Human Resource Development Ministry statement said.

 

It said in order to prevent such incidents future, all VCs 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 HRD Ministry in the wake of the chain of unfortunate events at the 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," the statement said.

 

Rohith's body was found hanging in the varsity's hostel room on Sunday, which sparked massive protests across the country.

 

While Rohith in his letter expressed disillusionment with life, the suicide has snowballed into a major political storm with parties demanding the ouster of Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and HRD Minister Smriti Irani.

 

The Hyderabad University had suspended Rohith and four other students after they allegedly assaulted an ABVP leader. The suspension came after Dattatreya shot off a letter to the HRD ministry in August last year, asking it to look into the matter. Students have alleged that his suspension led to Rohith's depression and his eventual suicide.

 

Meanwhile, HRD Minister Smriti Irani also spoke to Vemula's mother today and expressed her condolences.

 

In order to address the issues faced by the students from disadvantaged social economic and education background in higher educational institutions "comprehensively" and to prevent such unfortunate incidents in future, the Ministry has also chalked out a series of measures.

 

The Ministry has decided to set up a special mechanism for receiving and taking expeditious action on the grievances from these students.

 

At the same time, all VCs and senior administrators would be sensitised to reach out to such students and there will be "zero tolerance" for any acts of discrimination on campus. "A special charter will be issued to all the higher educational institutions in this regard," the statement said.