| dbo:abstract |
Rohith Chakravarti Vemula was an Indian PhD scholar at the University of Hyderabad. From July 2015, the university stopped paying Rohith his monthly stipend of ₹25,000 (equivalent to ₹32,000 or US$400 in 2020) (excluding HRA), with friends alleging that he was targeted for raising issues on campus under the banner of Ambedkar Students' Association (ASA), an Ambedkarite student organization. The university official denied the allegation, blaming the delay on "paperwork". On 5 August, the university set up an inquiry against Rohith and four other ASA members, two days after they allegedly assaulted ABVP leader N. Susheel Kumar. On 17 August, BJP MP and Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya wrote to the HRD Minister urging action and claiming that the "Hyderabad University… has in the recent past, become a den of casteist, extremist and anti-national politics". After a series of flip-flops, the five were suspended in September. On 17 December, the decision was upheld. After confirmation of the suspension, Vemula committed suicide on 17 January 2016. His death sparked protests and outrage across India and gained widespread media attention as a case of state sponsored discrimination against Dalits in Indian universities. (en) |
| rdfs:comment |
Rohith Chakravarti Vemula was an Indian PhD scholar at the University of Hyderabad. From July 2015, the university stopped paying Rohith his monthly stipend of ₹25,000 (equivalent to ₹32,000 or US$400 in 2020) (excluding HRA), with friends alleging that he was targeted for raising issues on campus under the banner of Ambedkar Students' Association (ASA), an Ambedkarite student organization. After a series of flip-flops, the five were suspended in September. On 17 December, the decision was upheld. (en) |
