Joint Action Committee for Social Justice (UoH) gives a call for CHALO DELHI on 23rd February.

rohith

It has been more than 28 days since Rohith left us. It has been more than a month that we have been fighting against this casteist criminal administration and the larger power structures. When we asked, why was the new committee constituted by R.P. Sharma scrapped? On what basis did Sub-committee, Executive Council took the atrocious decision of Social Boycott? Why did the University administration sensationalize it by linking it to Yakub Memon instead of locating it in the context of movie screening of Muzaffarnagar Baaqi Hai? Why were the counter affidavits filed by Cyberabad Commissioner of Police on 3rd October and Inspector General of Police on 31st October in the High Court overlooked and ignored? Why was Vipin Srivastav who headed the Sub-Committee of Executive Council that took the decision of Social Boycott and is main accused in the institutional murder of yet another Dalit student Senthil Kumar, appointed as the interim Vice-Chancellor? Why did BJP ministers interfere in an academic institution? We got no answers to the questions raised.

Appa Rao Podile has not been sacked from the post of Vice-Chancellor yet. The murderers have not been arrested yet. After playing a major role in the entire process of inquiry sending five letters to Appa Rao Podile including Bandaru Dattatreya’s “appeal”, MHRD is trying at its best to wash off its hands off the crime that the entire saffron brigade, in a well calculated manner, executed. The two-member committee constituted by MHRD held the Vice-Chancellor responsible for the murder giving clean chit to all the BJP ministers and constituted a one judge judicial probe to investigate into the issue. The latest convenient move by MHRD is that in the backdrop of Rohith’s death, they have decided to convene a meeting with all Central University Vice-Chancellors to reach Delhi on 18th February to discuss ways to end discrimination against marginalized sections. Three days back, the Hyderabad High Court put a stay order on the arrest of BJP MLC Ramachandra Rao and ABVP President Susheel Kumar. To cancel out the SC/ST Atrocities Act charges, they are hell bent on proving that Rohith is not a Dalit. Even after his death, they have killed him several times by forcefully cremating him without his mothers’ consent, his mother being constantly harassed and name calling Rohith as terrorist, anti-national and what not.

What gives us hope, strength and inspiration today is the unity of the people forged against the saffron brigade. Students, Workers, Professors, Film makers, Cultural activists and people from all walks of life have come together. The entire country is witnessing protests against the injustice meted out not just to the Dalit five research scholars in our University but discrimination, subjugation and humiliation faced by Dalits across the country. After Rohith’s death, the anger and outrage in all of us has shown a way to take our struggle and Rohith’s aspirations forward for a casteless society.

In a time when freedom of expression is being attacked all around us, and progressive voices are being silenced or murdered, there are some who continue to use their voices to bring light into a world seemingly engulfed in darkness. We appeal to the entire nation to join us in Delhi on 23rd February for #JusticeforRohith

DILLI CHALO for #RohithVemula : Students from all over India to assemble in Delhi on 20th Feb