University VC Responsible For Rohith’s Death: Rahul Gandhi

It is shameful that after 60 yrs of independence, students are not free enough to think for themselves, says Rahul.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi visited Hyderabad Central University on Tuesday and met the family of the Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, who recently committed suicide.

Addressing the students who were protesting against the university authorities, Rahul Gandhi said that Bandaru Dattateya, Union Labour Minister and MP of the constituency, and HCU Vice Chancellor should be punished for creating a situation which led to the suicide.

Here are the five takeaways from Rahul’s speech:

1. Conditions for Rohith’s suicide have been created by the VC, the central minister and the university. There is absolutely no merit in the VC holding his position.

2. The VC should have at least met Rohith’s family out of respect but he did not, and that was disrespecting the scholar’s death.

3. Ample compensation should be given to the family. The boy would have given his family a future, so the government should ensure that they get what is due to them.

4. Universities should encourage pluralism in terms of opinion and individuals should be free to think the way they prefer to regardless of their economic and social background.

5. The university tried to curb the individual freedom. I have not come here as a politician but as a young man expressing myself. It is shameful that even after 60 years of independence, students are not free enough to think for themselves.