Dalit leader and MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani on Thursday urged Radhika Vemula, mother of Rohith Vemula to contest in the 2019 elections to teach a lesson to Union Minister for Textiles, Information and Broadcasting, Smriti Irani.
The Vadgam MLA tweeted, “I strongly appeal to our inspiration Radhika (amma) Vemula to contest in 2019 elections and teach a lesson to Manusmriti Irani in
This tweet comes a day after the second death anniversary of Rohith Vemula, a Dalit PhD student from University of Hyderabad who killed himself over alleged social discrimination.
On Wednesday, Radhika Vemula said, "Smriti Irani, I won't forgive you. You may change your ministry but I will never forget you. I'm sending my kids (Dalit-Bahujan) to Parliament they will question you and haunt you."
I strongly appeal to our inspiration Radhika(amma)Vemula to contest in 2019 elections and teach a lesson to Manusmriti Irani in Parliament.
— Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) January 18, 2018
She was speaking at the ‘Shahadath Din’ meeting held at Savithri Phule auditorium in University of Hyderabad.
Radhika targeted Smriti Irani, who was the then Union Minister of Human Resources Development, owing to her alleged role in Rohith’s suicide.
Smriti Irani had sent five letters in 2015 to the University seeking response for the allegation made by then Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and BJP MLC Ramachander Rao that the Ambedkar Students’ Association, which Rohith was a part of, was involved in ‘anti-national’ activities and the action taken so far against the ASA students for assaulting former ABVP president Nandanam Susheel Kumar.
Ramachander Rao, Bandaru Dattatreya, Vice Chancellor Appa Rao, and ABVP leader Susheel Kumar have been named as an accused in the case.
Radhika Vemula also said that all the oppressed communities should come under one banner and launch a political party, “After Rohith's death, many senior, youth and women leaders have emerged. We all should unite and start a big political party.” “We Dalits are 20 crore (sic) and yet why do we not lead in all fronts? I don't have much knowledge. I just studied in an open university to get a degree. We all should unite as Dalits, despite our differences,” she said.
She also warned the BJP that their government would soon see a downfall and a Dalit government would be formed.
Jignesh, who was in Hyderabad on Wednesday met both Radhika Vemula and Raja Vemula. However, he did not participate in the meeting, as he was not enlisted in the list of speakers. The ASA didn’t want Jignesh to partake in the meeting for allegedly contesting the ideas of Ambedkar and for leaning towards the Left.
Rohith Vemula was found hanging in a hostel room in 2016 after he and four other students had been suspended by the UoH and expelled from their hostel rooms.