New Delhi: Human Resource and Development Minister Smriti Irani is addressing a press conference over the suicide of a 26-year-old researcher of the Hyderabad Central University.
Here are the highlights:
- As a mother and HRD minister, have conveyed my condolences to his family
- August clash between Ambedkar Students Association and another student was not Dalit vs non-Dalit confrontation
- The first inquiry did not consult either party involved in August's clash at Hyderabad University
- Executive council took "lenient view" after students were found guilty of assault
- Warden of hostel who asked students to stop using hostel was from Dalit community
- High Court did not accept suspended students' appeal to access the hostel
- Executive Council members that decided punishment are nominees of previous government, not this government
- Want to add: There are some media debates that claim a suicide note left behind the student
- The local police gave a certified copy of the suicide note
- I have it here today, this doesn't mention any university official, national political organisation, any MP
- There have been malicious attempts to present this as caste vs caste issue. The matter is also subjudice in the High Court
- Suicide note does not mention any university official or national political organisation or MP
- Bandaru is not the only MP who has raised concerns. Hanumatha Rao Congress MP wrote on November 17
- He wrote -In the past 4 years, the earlier Vice Chancellor - there have been suicide of students from Telangana region
- He wants a probe ordered. Its an standard procedure. We have to ascertain facts from the ground
- We sent 6 reminder for Hanumantha Rao's letter, we cannot impose upon a University
- Let us not encourage any rumour mongering. I request let us be extremely responsible
- It is easy to ignite passions and then regret at leisure. My attempt is an appeal that this is not a Dalit vs non Dalit
- This is in accordance to facts provided by Police and University. I have done this in public interest
- We have sent a fact-finding team recognising it is the jurisdiction of the state government
- My request is only this, I can understand political parties want to express their shock and grief
- Congress MP had raised the issue of students committing suicide. Why was this issue not taken up then and why now
- It could be their political compulsion, boy beaten up was also OBC
- It is not in favour of students or in favour of their (protesting students) parents who have sent them to study with high hopes
- Facts that I have put out have been ascertained by the local police and University
- Today the ministers sitting before you have come with facts not conjecture
- Wrong information, misconstrued information, for that matter misrepresentation
- Congress does not know how to look at procedure
- When an MP communicates to us, we have to seek facts from the University
- Congress wants to shoot politically on this issue. It is expected but unfortunate
- The letter from the Congress MP reiterates that this is not a new problem
- It persisted during the Congress rule also, if they had fixed this 4 years ago, possibly Rohith would have been alive today