Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, visited the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) campus today along with Telangana party unit leaders. (PTI file photo)
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge today said that his party would raise the issue of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide in Parliament, while its student wing NSUI has decided to hold a one-day hunger strike across all state capitals tomorrow.
Mr Kharge, the Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, visited the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) campus today along with Telangana party unit leaders.
"The vice chancellor and the (NDA) government have killed the scholar and they have denied human rights, that is why we want to take this to Parliament and tell the entire country how injustice is being done in the HCU," Mr Kharge said.
"Definitely we will take this issue, but at the same time we will formulate strategy (on this issue) for the session, because we have to consult with other political parties also. This is not only in the interest of this university, but in the interest of entire Dalit community and also in the interest of the country," he said.
The Lok Sabha lawmaker from Karnataka said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "always gives emotional and attractive speeches according to the situation".
"Modi is not practical and does not want to look towards the poor people," he said.
Meanwhile, demanding removal of HCU Vice Chancellor Professor Appa Rao Podile and Rs 50 lakh compensation to Mr Vemula's deceased's family, a fresh batch of seven students resumed the indefinite hunger strike today.
Earlier, NSUI national president Roji M John, who visited the agitating students on the campus, said the organisation would hold one-day hunger strike in all the state capitals tomorrow in support of the ongoing agitation of the HCU students.
"The BJP government is targeting educational institutions of the country. The autonomy of the educational institutions is under attack. The student community of this country is raising voice against it and there are protests happening all over the country," the NSUI president said.
"We are taking this forward. Tomorrow, students in all state capitals will sit on one-day hunger strike in solidarity with the students sitting here," the NSUI president said.
National Commission for Scheduled Castes member PA Kamalamma, who also visited the HCU today, said that the Commission, soon after the suicide of Mr Vemula, issued five recommendations to the university authorities and the state government to be implemented within 10 days.
The Commission will wait for 10 days for the response from the Telangana government and the university authorities, she said.
The security personnel of the HCU had last evening admitted the seven fasting students to a hospital after their health condition worsened even as another batch of seven students resumed their strike today.
The student leaders announced that the indefinite hunger strike and other protests would continue until their five demands are met.
Mr Vemula's body was found hanging in a hostel room on HCU campus on January 17.
The students have been demanding arrest of Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, Vice Chancellor Appa Rao and others who were named in the FIR lodged in connection with the case.
They have also asked the government to provide Rs 50 lakh compensation to Mr Vemula's family, besides providing a job to one of the family members.
The students association has also demanded that the suspension of facilities to four students should be revoked.
"We want all the cases filed (on earlier occasions) against the four research scholars to be dropped," they said.