The government has asked a joint secretary-level officer to inquire into the allegations of casteist remarks made against students belonging to SC and ST communities at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) after they protested over the death of Hyderabad Central University scholar Rohith Vemula.
A group of students, including those from SC and ST communities, had approached the authorities alleging that “ill will” and “hatred” against them was being spread by some of their peers after their protest.
The complaints related to certain remarks made on social media came to the notice of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry after which a senior official has been asked to enquire into the matter and submit findings by February 10.Senior government official
A Joint Secretary in the I&B Ministry, Mihir Kumar Singh, will look into the matter, it was learnt.
The Ministry acted on the matter promptly as IIMC is scheduled to hold its annual convocation on February 5 and also keeping in mind the sensitivity of the matter especially in the backdrop of the outrage over the Vemula suicide in Hyderabad, sources said.
The IIMC authorities too have formed a committee to probe allegations of “casteist” remarks against students belonging to the SC and ST community and has asked for a report within three weeks.
Earlier in letters to the Social Justice Ministry and the Tribal Ministry, 17 students had complained against certain social media posts that first appeared on January 18 posted by a student of the institute.
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