Nation-wide Clamour for Dattatreya, Smriti Irani Heads Gets Louder

Hyderabad: Even as the BJP is trying to come out clean in the HCU scholar's suicide case, denying any role of Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya in the suspension of scholars from hostels, the outcry for the removal of the two Central ministers Dattatreya and Smriti Irani is getting louder by the day.Following the suicide of one of the expelled Dalit scholars Vemula Rothit on last Friday, student community all over the country intensified protests on Wednesday demanding the removal of both the ministers from the cabinet.

Students held protests in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and several other places demanding ouster of Dattatreya and Smriti Irani.

Despite a growing unrest not only on the HCU campus, but all over the country, the university administration has not revoked the suspension on other four Dalit scholars who launched an indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday. Along with the deceased Rohith, the suspended Dalit sholars were staging dharnas for over two weeks.  

YSR Congress Party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy visited the HCU campus and expressed solidority with the student community. YS Jagan strongly condemned political interference into campus affairs which led to the death of Dalit scholar Rohith. He assured that YSR Congress Party MPs will raise the issue on the floor of the Parliament.

Addressing the students, YS Jagan strongly condemned the justification of suspension of the scholars on the grounds that they participated in a protest. "Is that any anti-national or terrorist activity?" he questioned and squarely blamed the Union Ministers Bandaru Dattatreya and Smriti Irani for the death of Rohith. A Union Minister writing a letter to another Union Minister seeking action against students surpassing the university vice chancellor is an indication of direct interference of government into the campus, Jagan lamented and demanded a strict action against all who were responsible for the death of Rohith.

Tension prevailed on the campus with students continuing their protest at HCU and various political parties sending their representatives to express solidority with the students. Trinamool Congress leaders Derek O'Brein visited the campus on Wednesday following the Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's visit on Tuesday. Representatives of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are expected to visit today or tomorrow.

A group of students belonging All India Students Federation (AISF) besieged Dattatreya's house in Ram Nagar in the city demanding his resignation from the cabinet for the second day.