TIA NEWS /
HYDERABAD: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, who had joined student protesters in a mass hunger strike at the Hyderabad Central University, compre suicide of Rohit Vemula with with killing of Mahatma Gandhi. ” Nobody has the right to take away the right to ‘search for the truth’ and this is exactly what happened with Gandhi ji and now Rohith”, Rahul said adding that it is Rohith’s birthday today and also the day Gandhi was assassinated in 1948.
“He (Gandhi) lived his life searching what he called his truth, his understanding of the world. Fought for it all his life. He was killed by the forces that didn’t want to hear what his truth was. The exact thing was done to Rohith,” Rahul Gandhi stressed.
Rohith’s mother Radhika and brother, Raju, also joined the students in their hunger strike in protest against the death of the research scholar, who hung himself days after he and four other Dalit students were suspended by the university.
“I am here today at the request of Rohith’s friends and family to stand with them in their fight for justice,” Mr Gandhi tweeted. He was on the campus since midnight on Saturday and sat through till the hunger strike ended this evening.
Mr Gandhi arrived last night after a protest march and candle light vigil. He had met Rohith’s family and spent the night at the university.
Rahul also used the occasion to attack the Central Government, saying a particular ideology is being imposed from the top by crushing the spirit of youngsters.
Meanwhile, the ABVP held demonstrations at several places alleging that the Congress party is politicizing Rohith‘s Suicide.
The student wing of BJP has also issued a bandh call for all educational institutes in Telangana.
Meanwhile protests and counter protests marked the day in the wake of day-long mass hunger strike that sought justice for Rohith Vemula who committed suicide earlier in the month.
Police have resorted to lathi-charge at several places when ABVP activists were trying to take out a rally protesting Rahul Gandhi coming to the Hyderabad Central University for the second time in a short period.
Police took dozens of Congress activists led by Telangana Congress President Uttam Kumar Reddy who were trying in vain enter the University.
Hundreds of students from out-side the Central University also joined the demonstrations in-front of the main gate of the University.
Meanwhile, BJP leadership on Saturday hit out hard at Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi accusing him of playing politics over Rohith Vemula’s suicide in Hyderabad Central University.
Briefing media in Delhi, party spokesperson Sambit Patra asked Mr Gandhi to stop playing politics over dead bodies and work in a positive way.
He questioned the need for the Congress leader to act as a judge when a judicial process is on.