Rohith Vemula suicide: Rahul Gandhi to visit University of Hyderabad

A day after the death of a Dalit scholar in Hyderabad sparked off massive students' protests across the country, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will today visit the University of Hyderabad to interact with protesting students.

Rahul is leaving for Hyderabad along with party General Secretary Digvijay Singh and will meet the students of the university, party sources said.

Also Read: What killed Hyderabad university Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula?

SFI, NSUI students launched an agitation on 18 January outside HRD Ministry in the national capital. They had resorted to stone pelting and breaking barricades. Police had to use water cannons and lathircharge to disperse the protesters.

Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and Hyderabad University Vice Chancellor were on 18 January named in an FIR over the alleged suicide of the dalit student.

The issue took a political turn with allegations that the extreme action was a result of discrimination against Dalit students at the behest of Dattatreya, who had written a letter to HRD Minister Smriti Irani, seeking action against their "anti-national acts".

Also read: Rohith Vemula death: Government will not intervene in suicide of Dalit scholar, insists Smriti Irani

The Congress had accused the BJP dispensation of having an "anti-Dalit agenda and mindset" and said the death of the scholar was "deliberately orchestrated by Dattatreya, Union HRD Ministry and their cohorts of ABVP".

Also read: Rohit Vemula suicide: Students protesting Dait scholar's death brave water canons, lathicharge

--PTI