The Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD), Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank, on Monday informed the Lok Sabha that the Secretary for Higher Education had been sent to Indian Institute of Technology-Madras for more information on the circumstances that led to the suicide of one of its students, Fathima Latheef, about 10 days ago.
Mr. Nishank said a local level inquiry has been started and the government will take action based on the findings of the report. “The moment the report points out anything, we will take suitable action in this regard,” he said.
The matter was first raised by Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader and Kollam MP, N. K. Premachandran, who demanded a high-level probe as it was not an ‘isolated’ incident.
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“You may also kindly see that more than five persons, which included four students and one teacher, have died under mysterious circumstances during the last academic year in IIT-Madras,” Mr. Premchandran said.
“Parents are also making specific allegations regarding religious discrimination faced by the girl, which had been the cause of death of Fathima Latheef”.
DMK leader Kanimozhi claimed that in the past 10 years, 52 students have committed suicide in IITs across the country and students from marginalised families have had to face discrimination.
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“To a question raised by me in Parliament, the Minister himself has accepted that nearly 72 cases have been registered of caste discrimination in institutions of higher learning. It is shameful. What are we teaching? What is the point of these institutions if this is what we are going to do to our students?” the DMK leader said.
“In the screenshot of her cell phone, she has named a few professors but not a single FIR has been filed and no arrest has been done so far. The girl has named a particular professor but there has been no arrest. So, whom are they trying to protect,”asked Ms. Kanimozhi.
The DMK walked out in protest, dissatisfied with the HRD Minister’s reply.