The Telangana Police have announced the conclusion of their investigation into the tragic death of University of Hyderabad student Rohith Vemula. They asserted that Vemula was not a Dalit and suggested that his suicide may have been driven by fears regarding his “true identity” being exposed.
However, the state’s Director-General of Police (DGP) Ravi Gupta has ordered a further probe into the matter and intends to seek court permission to reopen the case. Gupta’s office released a statement acknowledging doubts expressed by Vemula’s mother and others, prompting the decision to conduct additional investigations. The statement mentioned plans to petition the court for authorization to delve deeper into the case.
This development follows the conclusion of the Cyberabad police’s inquiry, which resulted in the submission of a closure report to a local court. According to this report, Rohith Vemula was not officially recognized as a member of the Scheduled Caste, and he was aware of this fact.
The police report highlighted various issues that may have contributed to Vemula’s decision to take his own life. It mentioned his awareness of his non-Scheduled Caste status and the possibility of facing legal consequences if his caste certificate, allegedly obtained fraudulently, were exposed. Furthermore, the police absolved several individuals, including politicians and university officials, of any involvement in Vemula’s death. They stated that there was insufficient evidence to support claims that the actions of these individuals led to his suicide.
Background
Rohith Vemula’s suicide on 17 January 2016, sparked widespread outrage and protests throughout India. The incident ignited a political controversy, with leaders from various parties debating its significance. In his final note, Vemula lamented how society reduced individuals to mere identities and statistics, rather than recognizing their humanity and potential. His death brought attention to issues of caste discrimination and social inequality within India’s higher education system, particularly regarding the challenges faced by Dalit students.
Before his death, Rohith Vemula was actively involved in advocating for social justice and combating discrimination. His suicide note, expressing his anguish over societal injustices, further fueled conversations about caste-based discrimination in Indian universities.
The suicide, believed to be a result of caste discrimination and oppression, has ignited widespread controversy, with figures ranging from Scion Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party to self-proclaimed fact-checkers like Mohammed Zubair using it to condemn the BJP. Additionally, voices such as Dalit rights activist Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd have highlighted the significant implications of Vemula’s death for the Dalit movement and the larger discourse on oppression and discrimination.
Was Rohith Vemula A Dalit Or Not?
The dispute regarding Rohith’s caste arose when his brother Raja Vemula’s certificate identified him as a ‘Vaddera,’ an OBC category in Andhra Pradesh. It later emerged that Rohith’s father, Mani Kumar, belonged to the Vaddera community, while his mother was Mala. Allegedly, Mani Kumar abandoned the family upon learning of Radhika’s Dalit identity due to his alcoholism. Consequently, Rohith, who apparently had no relationship with his father, identified with his mother’s caste and was allegedly raised as Mala. The state also issued a show-cause notice to Rohith’s family in connection with the matter.
The District-Level Scrutiny Committee (DLSC) had received statements from seven individuals, and Rohith’s father, Mani Kumar, and his paternal grandmother, Raghavamma asserted that Rohith did not belong to the Dalit community. The rest 5 – Rohith’s mother, Radhika Vemula, his brother Raja Vemula, his sister Neelima, his paternal grandfather, and his adopted maternal grandmother – said that he was a Dalit.
The Guntur district administration in 2017, assigned by the Andhra Pradesh government to probe the caste status of Rohith Vemula declared that he did not belong to the Dalit community. According to the findings of a committee, the state government opted to invalidate Rohith’s Scheduled Caste certificate.
Following an inquiry spanning more than a year, the District-Level Scrutiny Committee (DLSC) had additionally accused Rohith and his mother, Radhika Vemula, of “fraudulently” obtaining the certificate.
The Supreme Court in Rameshbhai Dabhai Naika Vs. State of Gujarat order said “In an inter- caste marriage or a marriage between a tribal and a non-tribal there may be a presumption that the child has the caste of the father. This presumption may be stronger in the case where in the inter-caste marriage or a marriage between a tribal and a non-tribal the husband belongs to a forward caste. But by no means the presumption is conclusive or irrebuttable and it is open to the child of such marriage to lead evidence to show that he/she
was brought up by the mother who belonged to the scheduled caste/scheduled tribe. By virtue of being the son of a forward caste father he did not have any advantageous start in life but on the contrary suffered the deprivations, indignities, humilities and handicaps like any other member of the community to which his/her mother belonged. Additionally, that he was always treated a member of the community to which her mother belonged, not only by that community but by people outside the community as well.”
In an instance in April 2019, the Bombay High Court remanded a case to a Scrutiny Committee for review, opening the possibility for a daughter to assert her mother’s Other Backward Class (OBC) status instead of her father’s Scheduled Caste (SC) status. Referencing the Naika verdict, the judgment remarked, “Our society has traditionally not embraced matriarchy. However, the winds of change are now blowing.”
Based on the orders of Supreme Court and Delhi High Court, the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has notified that if the child has been brought up in the surroundings of a notified community to which a separated mother belongs to and has suffered the deprivations, indignities, humilities and handicaps like any other member of that community then he or she is entitled to claim SC status. However, each case would be examined in light of existing facts and circumstances.
Shameless Exploitation of Vemula’s Death for Political Gain
Vemula’s tragic death was shamelessly manipulated to fuel a divisive political agenda, setting pitting people particularly students in college campuses along caste lines. Both Rahul Gandhi and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal spared no effort in targeting the government, exploiting the sensitive incident for their own political gain. Their actions not only capitalized on a poignant tragedy but also exacerbated existing societal rifts.
In 2017, Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “They say Rohit Vemula committed suicide. I call it murder. He was murdered by the indignities he suffered. He was killed because he was a Dalit. Hitler, once wrote: Keep a firm grasp on reality, so you can strangle it at any time This is what is happening today-strangulation of reality”
Speaking in the Parliament, Rahul Gandhi said “Rohith Vemula had asked a question – What’s my mistake? I’m a Dalit. Why are you killing me because of that? Why am I being suppressed? – He asked these questions.”
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Rahul Gandhi had joined student protesters at the Hyderabad Central University and even likened Rohith Vemula to Mahatma Gandhi. Interesting, many news outlets like the NDTV too identified Rohith as a “Dalit” Research Scholar.
Critiquing the Modi administration regarding Vemula’s tragic demise, Arvind Kejriwal asserted that Rohith Vemula felt compelled to end his life “for discussing BR Ambedkar among peers.” He urged the dismissal of the “two ministers” implicated. Kejriwal also sarcastically questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pondering if honoring Dalit leader’s portraits was adequate to realize his aspirations. He lamented the lack of freedom of expression within the nation.
Arvind Kejriwal stated, “Vemula was forced to commit suicide for talking about Babasaheb among students. Why are people who are holding constitutional offices not acting against those who forced him to commit suicide? Will Babasaheb’s dream be fulfilled by the Prime Minister going to Mhou and garlanding his portrait? Babasaheb gave three words liberty, equality and fraternity…”
The pro-Congress Islamist propagandist Mohammed Zubair peddled the same narrative, which claimed, “Rohit Vimula’s mother slams BJP/RSS and News Channels for twisting facts for Political gains. Hey @republic & @TimesNow, ask your Telegu representatives to get this translate for you.” Even in the video, she asserts that the BJP and RSS are criticizing her for receiving money and speaking out against Modi, but she emphasizes that her actions were entirely self-driven. Notably the video circulated lacks any relevance to the Dalit or non-Dalit issue.
And who can miss out the leftist-Dravidianist propaganda outlet The News Minute (TNM) which has been at the forefront along with other leftist outlets like The Wire to establish Rohith as a Dalit.
After the closure report of the Telangana Police, TNM published an elaborate piece calling it an “identity theft” of Rohith on why Rohith should be re-certified and not doing so is a crime.
The question is not whether Rohith Vemula was a Dalit or not but how he got his Caste Certificate and what was the caste mentioned in his certificate which has got silenced in the political noise surrounding his death.
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