Rohith Vemula panel hearings continue

Hyderabad: On Monday, stakeholders in the issue of suicide by Rohith Vemula, a Dalit research scholar of University of Hyderabad, deposed before the single person judicial inquiry committee consisting of retired Allahabad High Court judge, Justice Ashok Kumar Roopanwal.

The stakeholders included representatives from Students Union, Joint Action Committee for Social Justice (JACSJ), which has been spearheading the protests, 14 student organisations from UoH including Ambedkar Students Association of which Rohith was a member, and Rohith’s mother, brother and a friend.

A few members from the university close to Prof Appa Rao Podile also deposed before the judicial inquiry committee. Justice Roopanwal had earlier visited the city for three days during February 23-25 wherein one of the three days was allocated for deposition by students. However, the students were in New Delhi for the Chalo Delhi protests and none of them deposed in front of the committee.

As per sources, students in their deposition spoke about misrepresentation of facts and the polarization of university atmosphere by the ABVP.

They also spoke against Prof Podile alleging that he misused power and targeted the five Dalit students, including Rohith Vemula for suspending them from hostels.  

The students later had a meeting with in charge Vice Chancellor, Prof M Periasamy and discussed various pending demands by JACSJ. They also said that protests will continue until justice is served in the issue and that the protests will be stronger if Prof Podile returns as VC again.