Rohith Vemula's Death: There Is No Pressure From Any Ministry, Says Vice Chancellor | HuffPost

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There Is No Pressure From Any Ministry In Rohith Vemula's Case, Says Vice Chancellor

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Editorial Producer, HuffPost India

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MANJUNATH KIRAN via Getty Images

Members of the Students Christian Movement of India and other activists stage a protest in Bangalore following the suicide of Rohit Vemula, a doctarate student at the Hyderabad Central University, on January 19, 2016. Rohit, a second-year PhD student of Life Sciences was found hanging in his hostel room after he was suspended from the college due to a political dispute. AFP PHOTO/Manjunath KIRAN / AFP / MANJUNATH KIRAN (Photo credit should read MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP/Getty Images)

HYDERABAD -- Hyderabad Central University (HCU) Vice Chancellor Appa Rao, who is at the centre of a raging controversy over suicide by a dalit student following his suspension, today asserted there had been "no pressure" from Union Ministers or the HRD Ministry to act against the youth.

He also claimed that the youth, Rohith Vemula, did not mention his suspension as the reason for the extreme step in the suicide note and that he had favoured leniency for the students allegedly involved in the ABVP leader attack in view of their background so that they could continue to get their scholarship to pursue their studies.

"I am not sure whether suspension has really been the cause for suicide. At least not from the face of the suicide note as left by the student," he said.

Also Read: Dalit Student Suicide: FIR Against Minister, University Vice Chancellor

Rao said he was deeply disturbed by the loss of a precious life and the disruption of academic activities.

He also sought to distance the HRD Ministry and the two ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya from the decisions taken by the University which allegedly forced Rohith Vemula to commit suicide.

"There was no pressure. We took the letters received as routine letters," he said, adding "there was no phone call from either of the ministers or any ministry official".

The HRD ministry had written as many as five letters to Hyderabad University on Labour Minister Bandaru Dattareya's complaint regarding "anti national activities" on the campus and the "violent attack" on the ABVP leader Susheel Kumar. The Ministry has maintained it was standard procedure on such "VIP references".

Asked why there were discrepancies in the interim report and the final report which called for suspension, Rao said the interim report was made without talking to the "so called victim".

He claimed that it was later decided that the punishment would be "mellowed down" in view of the background of the students as a semester suspension would have denied them the scholarship and would have virtually made impossible for them to continue their studies.

The VC appealed to the students to resume academic activities and "not give space for any political games".

He offered to hold talks with students to resolve the issues raised by them and called for collective efforts to avoid recurrence of such incidents in the future.

Rao said that the mother of ABVP leader Susheel Kumar, who was allegedly beaten up by students including Vemula, had filed a case in the High Court.

The court in return had several times asked the University about what decision it had taken on the complaint, he said.

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INDIA-STUDENTS-SUICIDE-PROTEST(01 of14)

Indian National Congress Party activists take part in a protest after a student found was dead at a university hostel in Mumbai on January 19, 2016. Rohit Vemula, a 26-year-old doctoral student at the university of Hyderabad, was found hanged on January 17, triggering protests in the southern city and New Delhi. He was one of five students, all from India's lowest Dalit social caste, to be suspended by the university after they were accused of assaulting the head of a right-wing student political group -- a charge they denied. AFP PHOTO / PUNIT PARANJPE / AFP / PUNIT PARANJPE (Photo credit should read PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:PUNIT PARANJPE via Getty Images)

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NEW DELHI, INDIA - JANUARY 18: Police use water cannons on the activists of various student organisations including KYS, SFI, AISA, SDPI and BAPSA during a protest outside HRD Ministry Office at Shashtri Bhawan demanding the resignation of the Hyderabad University vice-chancellor over the suicide of a Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula on January 18, 2016 in New Delhi, India. 26-year-old Vemula, a second-year research scholar of science, technology and society studies department at Hyderabad University, was found hanging in his friendâs hostel room on Sunday night. He, along with four Dalit research scholars, was expelled from the University of Hyderabad 12 days ago over alleged fight with another student group. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

Hyderabad Dalit Scholar's Suicide: Delhi Students Stage Protest(03 of14)

NEW DELHI, INDIA - JANUARY 18: Police use water cannons on the activists of various student organisations including KYS, SFI, AISA, SDPI and BAPSA during a protest outside HRD Ministry Office at Shashtri Bhawan demanding the resignation of the Hyderabad University vice-chancellor over the suicide of a Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula on January 18, 2016 in New Delhi, India. 26-year-old Vemula, a second-year research scholar of science, technology and society studies department at Hyderabad University, was found hanging in his friendâs hostel room on Sunday night. He, along with four Dalit research scholars, was expelled from the University of Hyderabad 12 days ago over alleged fight with another student group. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

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NEW DELHI, INDIA - JANUARY 18: Police use water cannons on the activists of various student organisations including KYS, SFI, AISA, SDPI and BAPSA during a protest outside HRD Ministry Office at Shashtri Bhawan demanding the resignation of the Hyderabad University vice-chancellor over the suicide of a Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula on January 18, 2016 in New Delhi, India. 26-year-old Vemula, a second-year research scholar of science, technology and society studies department at Hyderabad University, was found hanging in his friendâs hostel room on Sunday night. He, along with four Dalit research scholars, was expelled from the University of Hyderabad 12 days ago over alleged fight with another student group. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

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NEW DELHI, INDIA - JANUARY 18: Police use water cannons on the activists of various student organisations including KYS, SFI, AISA, SDPI and BAPSA during a protest outside HRD Ministry Office at Shashtri Bhawan demanding the resignation of the Hyderabad University vice-chancellor over the suicide of a Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula on January 18, 2016 in New Delhi, India. 26-year-old Vemula, a second-year research scholar of science, technology and society studies department at Hyderabad University, was found hanging in his friendâs hostel room on Sunday night. He, along with four Dalit research scholars, was expelled from the University of Hyderabad 12 days ago over alleged fight with another student group. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

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NEW DELHI, INDIA - JANUARY 18: Police detain the activists of various student organisations including KYS, SFI, AISA, SDPI and BAPSA during a protest outside HRD Ministry Office at Shashtri Bhawan demanding the resignation of the Hyderabad University vice-chancellor over the suicide of a Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula on January 18, 2016 in New Delhi, India. 26-year-old Vemula, a second-year research scholar of science, technology and society studies department at Hyderabad University, was found hanging in his friendâs hostel room on Sunday night. He, along with four Dalit research scholars, was expelled from the University of Hyderabad 12 days ago over alleged fight with another student group. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

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NEW DELHI, INDIA - JANUARY 18: Police detain the activists of various student organisations including KYS, SFI, AISA, SDPI and BAPSA during a protest outside HRD Ministry Office at Shashtri Bhawan demanding the resignation of the Hyderabad University vice-chancellor over the suicide of a Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula on January 18, 2016 in New Delhi, India. 26-year-old Vemula, a second-year research scholar of science, technology and society studies department at Hyderabad University, was found hanging in his friendâs hostel room on Sunday night. He, along with four Dalit research scholars, was expelled from the University of Hyderabad 12 days ago over alleged fight with another student group. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

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NEW DELHI, INDIA - JANUARY 18: Police use water cannons on the activists of various student organisations including KYS, SFI, AISA, SDPI and BAPSA during a protest outside HRD Ministry Office at Shashtri Bhawan demanding the resignation of the Hyderabad University vice-chancellor over the suicide of a Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula on January 18, 2016 in New Delhi, India. 26-year-old Vemula, a second-year research scholar of science, technology and society studies department at Hyderabad University, was found hanging in his friendâs hostel room on Sunday night. He, along with four Dalit research scholars, was expelled from the University of Hyderabad 12 days ago over alleged fight with another student group. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

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NEW DELHI, INDIA - JANUARY 18: An activist holds picture of Ambedkar and shouts slogans during a protest by various student organisations including KYS, SFI, AISA, SDPI and BAPSA outside HRD Ministry Office at Shashtri Bhawan demanding the resignation of the Hyderabad University vice-chancellor over the suicide of a Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula on January 18, 2016 in New Delhi, India. 26-year-old Vemula, a second-year research scholar of science, technology and society studies department at Hyderabad University, was found hanging in his friendâs hostel room on Sunday night. He, along with four Dalit research scholars, was expelled from the University of Hyderabad 12 days ago over alleged fight with another student group. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

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NEW DELHI, INDIA - JANUARY 18: Activists of various student organisations including KYS, SFI, AISA, SDPI and BAPSA hold placards and shout slogans during a protest outside HRD Ministry Office at Shashtri Bhawan demanding the resignation of the Hyderabad University vice-chancellor over the suicide of a Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula on January 18, 2016 in New Delhi, India. 26-year-old Vemula, a second-year research scholar of science, technology and society studies department at Hyderabad University, was found hanging in his friendâs hostel room on Sunday night. He, along with four Dalit research scholars, was expelled from the University of Hyderabad 12 days ago over alleged fight with another student group. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

INDIA-STUDENTS-SUICIDE-PROTEST(11 of14)

Indian Congress Party Vice President Rahul Gandhi (L) talks to Radhika Vemula, the mother of a student found dead at a university hostel, during a protest at Hyderabad Central University in Hyderabad on January 19, 2016. Rohit Vemula, a 26-year-old doctoral student at the university of Hyderabad, was found hanged on January 17, triggering protests in the southern city and New Delhi. He was one of five students, all from India's lowest Dalit social caste, to be suspended by the university after they were accused of assaulting the head of a right-wing student political group -- a charge they denied. AFP PHOTO / Noah SEELAM / AFP / NOAH SEELAM (Photo credit should read NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:NOAH SEELAM via Getty Images)

INDIA-STUDENTS-SUICIDE-PROTEST(12 of14)

Indian students take part in a protest after a student found was dead at a university hostel, at Hyderabad Central University in Hyderabad on January 19, 2016. Rohit Vemula, a 26-year-old doctoral student at the university of Hyderabad, was found hanged on January 17, triggering protests in the southern city and New Delhi. He was one of five students, all from India's lowest Dalit social caste, to be suspended by the university after they were accused of assaulting the head of a right-wing student political group -- a charge they denied. AFP PHOTO / Noah SEELAM / AFP / NOAH SEELAM (Photo credit should read NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:NOAH SEELAM via Getty Images)

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Indian Congress Party Vice President Rahul Gandhi (R) receives a list of student demands during a protest after a student found was dead at a university hostel, at Hyderabad Central University in Hyderabad on January 19, 2016. Rohit Vemula, a 26-year-old doctoral student at the university of Hyderabad, was found hanged on January 17, triggering protests in the southern city and New Delhi. He was one of five students, all from India's lowest Dalit social caste, to be suspended by the university after they were accused of assaulting the head of a right-wing student political group -- a charge they denied. AFP PHOTO / Noah SEELAM / AFP / NOAH SEELAM (Photo credit should read NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:NOAH SEELAM via Getty Images)

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Indian National Congress Party activists take part in a protest after a student found was dead at a university hostel in Mumbai on January 19, 2016. Rohit Vemula, a 26-year-old doctoral student at the university of Hyderabad, was found hanged on January 17, triggering protests in the southern city and New Delhi. He was one of five students, all from India's lowest Dalit social caste, to be suspended by the university after they were accused of assaulting the head of a right-wing student political group -- a charge they denied. AFP PHOTO / PUNIT PARANJPE / AFP / PUNIT PARANJPE (Photo credit should read PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:PUNIT PARANJPE via Getty Images)

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-- This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.

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