(Image source from: Arvind Kejriwal demands for PM’S apology for Dalit student suicide})

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has demanded an apology from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the suicide of Rohith Vemula, who was a Dalit research scholar at the University of Hyderabad (UoH). Kejriwal said that the NDA government was constitutionally duty bound to uplift Dalits.

A tweet from Mr. Kejriwal said, "Modi govt constitutionally duty bound to uplift Dalits. Instead Modiji's ministers got five dalit students ostracised n suspended."

Massive protests sparked after the body of the Dalit research scholar was found hanging in the hostel room of the varsity. An FIR over the alleged suicide of the dalit student included the names of Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and Hyderabad University Vice Chancellor.

According to reports, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is planning to later visit the University of Hyderabad and meet the students. Mr. Gandhi along with party General Secretary Digvijay Singh is leaving to Hyderabad, said party sources.

Earlier, Congress earlier accused the BJP dispensation with “anti-Dalit agenda and mindset”. The party said that the scholar’s death was “deliberately orchestrated by Dattatreya, Union HRD Ministry and their cohorts of ABVP“.

Party spokesman R P N Singh said, “Now an FIR has been registered against the Union Minister and the letter written by him prima facie amounts to abetment of suicide, Congress demands that Dattatreya resigns with immediate effect, failing which the Prime Minister should sack him.”

Five-page poignant suicide note from Vemula had gone viral, triggering grief and much finger-pointing online.

-Sumana