Sack Dattatreya, UoH Vice-Chancellor: Students
Caste-based discrimination and prejudice had led to the suicide of Rohit Vemula.
Visakhapatnam: Activists, affiliated to various student unions of Andhra University, staged a protest near the Arts College of the varsity demanding sacking of University of Hyderabad Vice-Chancellor Prof. Appa Rao and Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya.
Alleging that caste-based discrimination and prejudice had led to the suicide of research scholar Mr. Rohit Vemula, hundreds of students blocked the road near the Arts College which brought the traffic to a standstill for a few hours.
State Chairman of AP Students and Youth JAC, Aareti Mahesh, said, “Since the NDA government assumed office, there have been increased attacks on women, minorities, Dalits and students of deprived communities. The government should immediately sack the Vice-Chancellor and Mr. Dattatreya from the Cabinet.”
Uttarandhra Mala Mahanadu convenor Dr. B.L. Suryanarayana said caste-based politics cost the life of Mr. Rohit and demanded an ex-gratia of Rs 5 crore to the family of Mr. Rohit. Marrivemula Srinivas, B. Kantha Rao, T. Ramesh, A. Sumanth and other student leaders were present.
Activists of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) had burnt the effigy of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday who made mocking comments against the ruling BJP and its ministers. Adari Kishore Kumar, a BJYM leader, demanded that Mr. Rahul Gandhi should render an apology to Mr. Dattatreya and others. “Blaming BJP ministers for the suicide of a student is not all fair and we want Mr. Rahul Gandhi to withdraw his comments,” Mr. Kumar added.