Rohith Vemula Suicide: Tribunal Reprimands UoH For Lack Of Equality Cell On Campus

Hyderabad: Releasing its report on Thursday, the People’s Tribunal, which was constituted on the Caste Discrimination and Police Action in University of Hyderabad following the suicide of Dalit Ph.D student Rohith Vemula in a campus hostel, reprimanded the administration of the varsity for its negligence in maintaining the equality and peaceful atmosphere on the campus.

The Tribunal headed by retired Madras High Court judge, Justice K Chandru conducted a hearing on Rohith’s suicide in the campus in April this year. Despite making several recommendations, the Tribunal pulled up UoH administration for the inequality in the campus which led to the suicide of Rohith Vemula that triggered a nationwide decry.

The Tribunal opined that the UoH had been “unpardonably negligent” in preventing recurrence of suicide of students in the campus despite recommendations from earlier committees and the court’s directions.

Admonishing the varsity’s administration, the Tribunal iterated, “As a minimal example of neglect, there is still no provision in the University Act to set up grievance redressal bodies to remove discriminatory practices adopted by the varsity officials.”

It made the recommendation of instituting an equal opportunity cell and it should be headed by an anti-discrimination officer and grievance and redressal cell headed by the ombudsman. The tribunal also recommended the University administration to immediately implement the earlier High Court order on special commission to review disciplinary order.