AMN /
Classes resumed today in the Hyderabad Central University after 10 days, even as protests are going on for justice for Rohith Vemula, the Dalit student who committed suicide following allegedly facing discrimination in the campus.
The students have been protesting and blocking classes over Rohith Vemula’s Suicide demanding removal of the Vice Chancellor and action against those who were responsible for the suicide. The classes have been resumed following an appeal to the students by the acting Vice Chancellor Prof Srivatsava to attend classes to save a semester of the academic year.
Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao Podile proceeded on leave last Sunday saying he was “advised to be little away from campus” to break the current “impasse”. Meanwhile, students continued their agitation on the issue. On the other hand, the Government has appointed Justice Ashok K. Poopanwal as the single member commission to look into the whole issue.
The JAC and a section of faculty members also want Srivastava to step down as he headed the committee which suspended five Dalit students, out of whom Rohith Vemula committed suicide.
Srivastva, who took over as interim VC last week after Appa Rao went on leave, rejected the demand saying he got the position as per the university ordinances.
Interim vice chancellor and dean, school of chemistry, M. Durga Prasad, who was member of the six-member panel, defended the action taken against the five students.
Both maintained said if the judicial commission, constituted by the union human resources development ministry to probe the incident, asks them to step down, they will do so.
The interim VC said the university had accepted all demands of the students which fall in its realm. It revoked suspension of four students and announced an ex-gratia of Rs.8 lakh to the family of Rohith.
Pointed out that eight Dalit students and one tribal student committed suicide in the university during last 10 years, Srivastava said there should be a national debate on this. He believes that the reasons for the suicide were not difficult to find out.
Claiming that there is no caste discrimination by the faculty, he said the administration will take all steps to address any complaints by the students.