Dalit leader and MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani on Thursday urged Radhika Vemula, mother of Rohith Vemula, to contest in the 2019 elections to teach a lesson to Union Minister for Textiles, Information and Broadcasting, Smriti Irani.
The Vadgam MLA tweeted, “I strongly appeal to our inspiration Radhika (amma) Vemula to contest in 2019 elections and teach a lesson to Manusmriti Irani in Parliament.”
This tweet comes a day after the second death anniversary of Rohith Vemula, a Dalit PhD student from University of Hyderabad who killed himself over alleged caste discrimination.
Radhika Vemula spoke at the ‘Shahadath Din’ meeting held at Savithri Phule auditorium in University of Hyderabad on 17 January.
She targeted Smriti Irani, who was the then Union Minister of Human Resources Development, owing to her alleged role in Rohith’s suicide.
Smriti Irani, I won’t forgive you. You may change your ministry but I will never forget you. I’m sending my kids (Dalit-Bahujan) to Parliament they will question you and haunt you.Radhika Vemula
Smriti Irani had sent five letters in 2015 to the university seeking response for the allegation made by the then Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya and BJP MLC Ramachander Rao that the Ambedkar Students’ Association, which Rohith was a part of, was involved in ‘anti-national’ activities and the action taken so far against ASA students for allegedly assaulting former ABVP president Nandanam Susheel Kumar.
Radhika Vemula also said that all the oppressed communities should come under one banner and launch a political party, “After Rohith's death, many senior, youth and women leaders have emerged. We all should unite and start a big political party.”
We Dalits are 20 crore (sic) and yet why do we not lead in all fronts? I don’t have much knowledge. I just studied in an open university to get a degree. We all should unite as Dalits, despite our differences.Radhika Vemula
She also warned the BJP that their government would soon see a downfall and a Dalit government would be formed.
Jignesh, who was in Hyderabad on Wednesday met both Radhika Vemula and Raja Vemula. However, he did not participate in the meeting, as he was not enlisted in the list of speakers. The ASA didn’t want Jignesh to partake in the meeting for allegedly contesting the ideas of Ambedkar and for leaning towards the Left.
Rohith Vemula was found hanging in a hostel room in 2016 after he and four other students had been suspended by the UoH and expelled from their hostel rooms.
(This article has been published in an arrangement with The News Minute)
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