Pune:
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday demanded that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi apologize for “politicising” the suicide of Rohith Vemula, the University of Hyderabad student who died in 2016, as police in a state ruled by his own party have now said that “it is not a Dalit problem”.
Telangana police have filed a closure report in the court after an investigation into Vemula's death, alleging that he was not a Dalit and committed suicide as he feared his real identity would be discovered.
Speaking to a group of selected journalists in Pune, Ms Sitharaman pointed out that the police report was filed in a Congress-ruled state.
“The closure report says he had a wrong SC (Scheduled Caste) certificate and he was not an SC. But Vemula's family was dragged and put on display in the country as it mourned. Congress, by dragging Vemula's family Vemula tried to politicize the issue in public, look at the statements made by Rahul Gandhi in Parliament at that time that Vemula was under pressure,” the Union minister said.
Mr Gandhi should listen to the speeches he made in the Lok Sabha at the time and apologize to the country, the BJP leader said.
“He should also apologize to the SC community for abusing (them). It was not a Dalit issue, but (Gandhi) made it look like a Dalit issue. Now he is running 'Mohabbat ki Dukan', but then he was running 'toxic dukan', and for that he should apologize,” she added.
Later, speaking on 'The role of higher education in realizing the vision of 'viksit Bharat' at the Deccan College in the city and interacting with the students after the lecture, Ms. Sitharaman said that the University of Hyderabad did not address the issue could treat with feeling. .
A narrative was being built that the government is oppressive, against students and against SCs, she alleged, adding, “Today the same people, who dragged that unfortunate family onto the streets, must stand up in front of the entire country and apologize for politicizing the incident. .”
The wrong narrative came from “vested interest groups, a self-styled left-liberal group, a self-styled leader in the opposition, saying 'mohabbat ki dukaan',” she said.
“He actually perpetrated this issue and spoke so badly in Parliament about his interpretation (of the incident),” Ms Sitharaman alleged.
She said rigorous research will have to be done with methodology, with data and without getting confused with the political narrative.
“The issue which could have been addressed amicably within the university without dishonoring any particular student or family was dragged to the streets of the country and allegations were leveled against the then Minister of Education and the central government as it was a central university,” she said. .
The bigotry, political interference and hatred were not with the government but with vested interest groups who “will not miss the opportunity to bring this poison to higher education centres”, Ms Sitharaman alleged.
“We all respect the Dalit cause. The reservation made in the Constitution is a positive support,” she added.
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