
The University of Hyderabad, also known as Hyderabad Central University (UoH/HCU), mourned nine years of justice being denied to late Rohith Vemula. January 17 marks the death anniversary of Rohit Vemula, a PhD scholar who was institutionally murdered on this campus nine years ago in 2016.
Remembering the tragic event of 2016, an event was organised by many student associations that have mobilised under the banner of Justice for Rohith Vemula, a movement that traces its origins to the tragic events of 2016, when the authorities used all their might against five Dalit scholars, culminating in the death of Rohith, stated Maktoob Media.
“Despite several attempts by the university administration to erase the history of resistance against caste discrimination in academic spaces, the students have ensured that their call for justice is heard loud and clear. As they entered the ninth Shahadat year, a plethora of events commemorating the legacy of Rohith Vemula began to take place across the university,” said a press release by the Justice for Rohith Vemula movement.
Speaking at the event, Radhika Vemula, mother of Rohith Vemula, said, “Rohith’s desire was to become a doctor, and he cried a lot to my mother, but she refused. He said he would stop at MSc and get a job, but I insisted he pursued a PhD, saying it would at least add ‘doctor’ to his name. I sometimes feel that it is my mistake that I pushed him to get admission to HCU."
Dr Laxman Yadav, an expelled professor from Delhi University, was the chief guest of the event, alongside Advocate Raghunath V, the lawyer helming the legal battle surrounding Rohith Vemula’s case.
The event began with Radhika Vemula garlanding Rohith’s Stupa at Velivada as students raised slogans of resistance. A march from Velivada to Gurram Kalekuri Amphitheatre was carried out after the garlanding, where the main event took place.
“As the culprits escape every step of culpability, the Justice for Rohith Vemula movement at the University of Hyderabad continues to resist by never forgetting,” said the students of the University of Hyderabad, stated Maktoob Media.