Thousands of students from various parts of the country under the banner of The Joint Action Committee for Social Justice (JACSJ) led a protest march from Ambedkar Bhawan to Jantar Mantar in the national capital on 23 February, seeking justice for Rohit Vemula, who was driven to commit suicide on 17 January after he was suspended from the University of Hyderabad, and JNU Students’ Union President Kanhaiya Kumar, arrested on charges of sedition. The protestors included social activists, political leaders, faculty members and artists as well as members of Rohith’s family.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat, while talking to Radiance during the protest march, said students are raising their demand for justice for Rohith Vemula. “Till now, the Modi government has not responded to it and that is why they had to come to Delhi. And all over campuses the Dalits, students from deprived and marginalised sections are completely left out and oppressed in institutions which ideally belonged to them. And therefore a slogan for justice for Rohith is a slogan that strengthens our democracy. It is a slogan which makes people accountable.”
Prof Yogendra Yadav, a renowned political scientist, told Radiance at the dharna site, that he had one concrete demand that in between year 2012-13 the UGC had passed three regulations namely equity in higher education, grievance redressal and students’ entitlements. “Three years have passed but no universities have enforced them. The government, if serious, should try to enforce them at the earliest. Most of the problems in the universities can be addressed if they are implemented effectively.”
The main demand of the students is to enact “Rohith Act” against caste discrimination in educational institutions. Another demand is to punish the culprits (Smriti Irani, Bandaru Dattatrya, Appa Rao, Ramchandra Rao, Alok Pandey and Susheel Kumar). Yet another demand requires removal of Appa Rao from the post of Vice Chancellor. Other demands include employment of a family member of Rohith in the university, payment of a minimum compensation of 50 lakhs, dropping of false police cases against the five research scholars, appointment of a special public prosecutor in the concerned case of Rohith, constitution of a judicial inquiry (non-MHRD members) into all cases of discrimination and harassment of Dalit, Adivasi, OBC, Religious Minority students in all higher educational institutions, and implementation of affirmative action policies in all higher education institutions, irrespective of the management of the colleges.
Rahul Gandhi, Vice President of the Congress, while addressing the rally, said that RSS only thinks of the past; they have got nothing to do with the present and the future and if some people try to raise their voice, they try to silence them and it is happening everywhere.
The ‘Chalo Delhi’ rally, organised by the Joint Action Committee for Social Justice (JACSJ), was represented by various students groups hailing from all over India. The protestors first gathered at Ambedkar Bhawan and then marched towards Jantar Mantar where many social and human rights activists, including political leaders addressing the gathering and expressing solidarity with family members of Rohith. Radhika, mother of Rohith, was also present among the protestors.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal demanded from the government to pass ‘Rohith Bill’ which seeks to prevent suicides of ST, SC, OBC and minority students in universities. He also said that the way institutions are being targeted will not be allowed and the struggle of Rohith and others will not be allowed to die. He also said, “Modiji, students se pange mat lena (Don’t take on students).” The Delhi Chief Minister announced from the stage: “If students get together, they will shake up your chair in such a manner that you will not forget.”
To raise their voice, most of the students were holding placards and flags of different colours to express their solidarity and emergence of a new force for the sake of justice.