Rohith Vemula suicide: Rahul Gandhi to join protest

HYDERABAD|BENGALURU: Research scholar Rohith Vemula’s birth anniversary turned into a rallying point for students at the Hyderabad Central University, who have been on strike since January 17 when he committed suicide in the university hostel. A case of abetment to suicide and discrimination against a Dalit was filed against Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya, university vice-chancellor Appa Rao Podile and BJP MLC Ramachandra Rao following the suicide.

The agitating students who have formed a national joint action committee, held a midnight candlelight vigil along with Vemula’s mother Radhika and brother Raja Chaitanya. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is expected to sit with them on strike on Saturday. This is Gandhi’s second visit to the campus since Vemula’s death.

Raja Chaitanya told ET: "We welcome everyone to sit with us. We have not called anyone, they have come on their own to support our cause. We want to put an end to the discrimination and I want all the help I can get to further this cause."

The family of Vemula has rejected the Rs 8 lakh ex-gratia offered to it by the university.