The man who attacked Kanhaiya Kumar is reportedly a member of a vigilante cow protection group. (PTI Photo)
Highlights
- Shoe thrown at Kanhaiya Kumar in Hyderabad
- Will not get scared, said Mr Kumar, continued with speech
- Mr Kumar stopped from entering university where Rohith Vemula studied
A shoe was thrown at student leader Kanhaiya Kumar before he addressed a conference in Hyderabad this morning.
The offender, a cow protection activist named Naresh Kumar, was removed by the police. Continuing with his speech, the Delhi student said, "Do whatever you want to, I will not get scared."
Mr Kumar, 28,
was stopped last evening from entering the Hyderabad Central University where Rohith Vemula, a PhD scholar, killed himself in his hostel a month after he complained of caste discrimination against Dalit students like him. Unable to proceed onto campus as planned, Mr Kumar then
delivered a short speech at the university's main gate, renewing his commitment to "fight for justice for Rohith" and "exposing the administration's determination to crush dissent".
Kanhaiya Kumar was addressing a conference in Hyderabad.
Mr Kumar 's arrest on charges of sedition from Jawaharlal Nehru University or JNU in February turned into a rager of a controversy, with the government still unable to shake off its after-effects. The action against Mr Kumar forced the government to counter accusations of a crackdown on students who are critical of its policies, and of using the allegation of "anti-national" as a cover for trying to stymie free speech.
Mr Kumar has described Mr Vemula, who was two years younger than him,
as his "role model". In Hyderabad, Mr Vemula's friends have united in on-campus protests to highlight a list of demands, including the removal of the university's top official Vice chancellor Appa Rao, who they blame for deliberate inaction after he received a letter from Mr Vemula listing a series of grievances about his treatment at college.
Nearly 30 students and three professors have been arrested for allegedly vandalizing the office of Mr Rao on Tuesday, his first day back at work after a prolonged leave of absence that began during the outrage over Mr Vemula's suicide.
Mr Kumar says he will push for the introduction of a "Rohith Act" that will make university officials legally liable for caste discrimination at universities.