Rohith Vemula, a Dalit research scholar of the University of Hyderabad (UoH), > comitted suicide recently after he was expelled from his hostel along with four other researchers. With students from universities across India demanding action against the Vice-Chancellor, a candle light vigil was announced in honour of Vemula's 27th birthday.
All India Congress Committee Vice-President Rahul Gandhi expressed solidarity with the protesting students at University of Hyderabad campus. Mr. Gandhi will spend the night at the varsity amid the students. The AICC vice-president will arrive by a special filght at Begumpet airport and drive down straight to the university.
Here are the live updates:
2:00 am: The ABVP called for a bandh of educational institutions in the city on Saturday protesting against Mr. Gandhi’s bid to politicise the unfortunate suicide of research scholar, said ABVP State Secretary Niranjan.
1:30 am: We don't want compensation we want justice, say students.
1:15 am: In a dramatic turn of events, Dr. Vipin Srivastava who took charge as the interim Vice-Chancellor of Hyderabad Central University (HCU) amid protests over the alleged suicide by a Dalit scholar here proceeded on leave from this afternoon. > Read more
1:00 am: It was an emotional rally at Friday midnight on the campus of University of Hyderabad. What appeared to be a small gathering of students around 9 p.m. at the hunger strike camp on the university campus turned into a massive assembly within two hours to take out candle light rally marking birth anniversary of Rohith Vemula, dalit research scholar who committed suicide recently. > Read more
12:55 am: Let us not raise 'muradabad' slogans: Rahul Gandhi tells protesting students
12:45 am: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi arrives at UoH and pays tributes to the memorial of Vemula. Photo: Nagara Gopal.
12:30 am: The Human Resource Development Ministry appointed Ashok K. Roopanwal, a former judge of the Allahabad High Court, as the one-man commission of inquiry into the circumstances that led to Vemula's suicide. > Read more
12:07 am: Rohith Vemula's mother at the candle light march venue to mark his birth anniversary in the University of Hyderabad campus as shouts of 'we want justice' rent the air. Photo: Marri Ramu
12:00 am: Dr. Vipin Srivastava, who took charge as Vice-Chancellor of UoH has proceeded on leave from the afternoon of 29th January. The next senior most professor, Dr. M. Periasamy, will perform the duties of the Vice-Chancellor of the varsity till furthers orders.
11:53 pm: Rohith's death has brought to a head a long-simmering conflict between progressive student groups, and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students’ wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), present on campuses across the country and increasingly belligerent in the prevailing climate of Hindu right-wing dominance, writes Ananya Vajpeyi. > Read more
11:50 pm: Following violence on the campus caused by the death of the Dalit research scholar, Section 144 was imposed in the University of Hyderabad. > Read more
11.40 pm: Students take out rally and assemble at a rotary in UoH rising slogans in memory of Rohith Vemula. Photo: Marri Ramu
Photo: Marri Ramu
11.35 pm: Massive rally with more than 1000 students underway in the university campus to mark 27th birthday of late Rohith Vemula. Photo: Nagara Gopal
11.30 pm: University of Hyderabad Vice-Chancellor P. Appa Rao, in the eye of the storm over the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula, has gone on leave but the students continued their protest on the campus. > Read more
11:28 pm: Indian campuses are witnessing unusual caste flare-ups, highlighted by the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad. The Hindu examines how caste fault lines are muddying higher education, and the government’s ill-crafted budget cuts and erratic decision-making are adding to the grievances of a generation. > Read more
11:20 pm: Candle light vigil in memory of th late Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula begins. Photo: Rahul Devulapalli
11.15 pm: The students are gearing up to observe the birthday of Rohith Vemula on January 30, 2016, when the late scholar would have turned 27. Photo: Marri Ramu
11.10 pm: It is understood that only the members of the student’s wing of the party – National Students Union of India – would join the protest demonstration going on in the varsity.
Mr. Gandhi had rushed to the university on January 18, a day after Rohith committed suicide and demanded stern action against all those responsible for his death.
11:00 pm: Students of Fine Arts department of UOH giving final touches to the bust of Rohith which will be installed on Saturday. Photo: Rahul Devulapalli
