Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya is now alleged to be the key person, who moved the coins against dalit students in Hyderabad Central University.
HCU student death has went viral in Hyderabad yesterday, with the protests and agitations against the officials. The students demanded the resignation of vice-chancellor and all others who are responsible for the death.
The issue also took a political turn with allegations that the extreme action was a result of discrimination against dalit students at the behest of Dattatreya, who had written a letter to HRD Minister Smriti Irani, seeking action against their “anti-national acts”.
After facing the protests outside her office, Smriti Irani reacted to the issue, saying, she would not make any political statement but await the report of a fact-finding committee. She said the government neither intervenes in the functioning of the university nor does it have any administrative control over it. She shared the grief of the family of the dead student.
On the other hand, The Vice Chancellor said that he was not aware of the entire episode and opined that it took place, before he came into the picture. He further said that, he even worked to reduce the punishment.
Speaking on the issue, Gachibowli Inspector J Ramesh Kumar said, “We have registered cases against them based on a complaint from some students. FIR was registered under IPC section 306 (abetment of suicide) and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. (Union Minister) Bandaru Dattatreya, Vice Chancellor Appa Rao, MLC Ramachandra Rao, and students Susheel Kumar and Rama Krishna have been named in the FIR.
Amidst of the huge level of protests by the students, the officials took dalit student, Rohit’s body for the post mortem.
Prashant, one of the five suspended students demanded for the removal of Dattatreya from the Union cabinet, Ramachandra Rao from MLC post and Vice Chancellor should be sacked.
However, Dattatreya dismissed the allegations against him and said, “Anti-social, anti-national activities were going on in the university. ABVP activists were beaten up. At that time ABVP gave a representation. I forwarded the representation to the Ministry (of HRD). I don’t know what action they did. BJP or I have nothing to do with the incident.”
By Phani Ch
