Arrest Appa Rao, re-Instate Suspended Faculty: Radhika Vemula was the demand made by Radhika Vemula yesterday, January 17 the fifth month anniversary of Rohith's death. The protest took place at the university gate between 11 am and 1 p.m. yesterday. Suspended Vice Chancellor Appa Rao had hurriedly called a meeting of the Review Committee to look into the suspension of two professors, KY Ratnam and Tathagata Sengupta. In law, the Review Committee has to sit and review the decision of the administration within 90 days of its effect. The VC had pre-dated the suspension to the date of the peaceful protest, March 22 making it mandatory for the committee to take a decision soon. It is learned that over 40 professors expressed outrage at the suspension and they were joined in this by the non-teaching staff of the university. In panic it appears that the university administration revoked the suspension late yesterday evening at about 7 p.m.
Hence, it was on the same day that Radhika Vemula sat on the protest that the university revoked the suspension of the two professors ordered just days back; On June 16 it had become public knowledge that the District Collector, Guntur had unequivocally certified that Rohith and his family were and are Dalits putting to rest a controversy fuelled by central ministers in the Modi regime in Delhi
June 17 marked the 5th Month Anniversary of Rohith’s Institutional Murder
Radhika Vemula joined the relay hunger strike today in support of two suspended faculty, KY Ratnam and Tathagata Sengupta and to demand the arrest of suspended Vice Chancellor, Apparao at the University of Hyderabad yesterday .
Yesterday, marked the fifth months after Rohith Vemula’s departure from all of us physically. But till now, none of the culprits responsible for his institutional murder have been arrested. On the contrary, those who have been standing up for justice were arrested, lathi charged, jailed and suspended. Radhika Vemula joined the relay hunger strike in support of faculty at the Abandoned Main Gate, UoH on JAnuary 17.
Only the day before yesterday news of the National SC Commission Chairperson PL Punia seeking action under the Atrocities Act against Appa Rao and Union Minister Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya had revealed that the report of the Guntur District Collector, Kantilal Dande had stated clearly on affidavit that Rohith Vemula and his family is and were always Dalit
NCSC will direct Cyberabad Police to file act on the Prevention of SC/ST Atrocities (POA) charges against Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and Vice-Chancellor, HCU P. Appa Rao
Despite these clampdowns, the movement for social justice has not been stymied or stopped, it has got only further intensified. Said the Campaign for Social Justice, University of Hyderabad (UoH) that the slogan of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, “For ours is a battle not for wealth or for power. It is battle for freedom. It is the battle of reclamation of human personality” became a reality when Prof.V.Krishna has resigned from the post of Controller of Examinations, later when another culprit in the suicide of Senthil Kumar, Prof.Vipin Srivatsava was appointed as Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof.Sreepathi Ramudu had also resigned through an open letter.
When the two faculties Dr.K.Y.Ratnam and Tathagat Sen Gupta were suspended, they chose not be in silenced, and instead resolved to fight back, and their fight is continuing.
Radhika Vemula, mother of Rohith Vemula, who has been an inspiring force in the struggle, has also proved to this nation that self-respect and aspirations for justice cannot be purchased, and the way she rejected 8 lakhs of compensation by Apparao Podile led University of Hyderabad shook the entire nation. Following the advice of her son and following the foot-steps of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar she accepted Buddhism from the hands of Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar on April 14, Ambedkar Jayanti.
The revocation orders were ordered yesterday.
