Just two days after Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani’s fiery speech in the parliament over Rohith Vemula’s suicide, his friends and family dismissed the minister’s statements in a press conference on Friday in the national capital.

The following are the points made by Rohith’s friends and mother:

·         HRD Minister is giving false statements in parliament

·         Rohith being quoted selectively

·         Need SIT to probe the matter

·         There is already a caste certificate which states that Rohith belonged to SC

·         No SC/ST representative Inquiry Committee, contrary to Smriti Irani's claim

·         Chief warden was a Dalit but not part of any inquiry

·         I demand an explanation as to how my son became anti-national and extremist

·         Smriti Irani is lying and diverting issue, he never received the stipend for seven months

·         PM Modi said India has lost her son.Want to ask him,If India has lost her son,same son was branded as anti-national

Irani had alleged politicization by the opposition parties over the suicide of Dalit PhD scholar Rohith Vemula. ‘’Rohith’s body was used as a political tool, a doctor was not allowed to visit him till 6:30 next morning. I spoke about him (Rohith Vemula) as a kid and not as a Dalit student.,’’ she said on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Union Ministers Thawar Chand Gehlot & Smriti Irani claimed that Rohith Vemula is not a Dalit.