Hyderabad: Following the death of Hyderabad Central University Research Scholar Rohith Vemula, six letters are in the spotlight, five of which have been written by Minister for Education Smriti Irani, asking answer from the University as to what action has been taken in connection to complaint by Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya.
The letters were written in September, October and November.
On Sunday, Rohith was found hanging in the hostel from where he was banned two weeks ago. He and four other students were accused of attacking an activist of the BJP’s student wing Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in August.
Though the university initially said that there was no evidence of the attack, four months later it suspended the five students and ordered them to stay away from the hostel and the cafeteria.
It is said that BJP Parliamentarian from Secunderabad Bandaru Dattatreya had written a letter to Education Minister Smriti Irani alleging that the university had become a “den of casteist, extremist and anti-national politics”. He had also complained that the university had not acted against the attackers of the ABVP activist, Nandanam Susheel Kumar.
“Comments on VIP reference of Bandaru Dattatreya, MoS for Labour and Employment,” said the email dated 3 September.
Four more letters were sent to the university on September 24, on October 6 and 20, and on November 19.
The letters, almost identical in content, cited Mr Dattatreya’s letter and said “comments/facts had not been received so far”, indicating that the university had not responded to calls for action against the students.
Smriti Irani’s ministry then wrote an email and four letters to the university, attaching Mr Dattatreya’s complaint and asking what action had been taken.
It was on December 21 that the university reversed its earlier decision and took action against the students.
Smriti Irani has denied any interference. “All are familiar that administrative control is with the university and not with the government,” the minister said.
(Agencies)
