Smriti Irani lied: Kejriwal on Rohith Vemula’s suicide

A day after Union HRD Minister Smriit Irani claimed Rohith Vemula’s suicide was “not a Dalit vs non-Dalit issue”, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called her “a liar”.

Addressing protestors at Hyderabad Central University on Thursday, Kejriwal slammed Irani for ‘distortion’ of facts and telling “one lie after another”. 

Demanding immediate sacking of the university's Vice Chancellor, Kejriwal said Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya's letter to HRD Msinister Smriti Irani seeking action against Ambedkar Students Association was an example of coming to judgement before enquiring about the issue.

"It is shameful that a responsible minister without inquiring into the facts has already concluded that Ambedkar Students Association is casteist. He mentioned three words about the students -- anti-national, casteist and extremist," said Kejriwal.

Here are the highlights of his speech:

1. Smriti Irani’s statements were shameful as she lied that the Exec Council was headed by a Dalit professor.  She spoke one lie after another; she tried to create controversy over Rohith's caste
2. How can a responsible minister, Bandaru Dattatreya without establishing facts decide on tagging the students ‘anti national, casteist’.  
3. There can be no justice for the students as the MHRD had enquired the matter as  an ‘anti-national activity’
4. Internal reports said students were innocents, until Duttatreya intervened.  ABVP leader’s claim of being attacked was exaggerated.

On Sunday, Rohith Vemula hanged himself from the ceiling fan in one of his friends’ hostel rooms in Hynderabad Central University. He had been expelled from the NRS Hostel on December 16 along with three other students. Since then, they were sleeping in the open on the campus in a makeshift tent and were later joined by other protesting students as well.

In the days since his death, the case has snowballed into a major controversy for the BJP-led government at the centre. Media reports that the MHRD wrote five letters to the university over the alleged assault of ABVP activist Nandanam Susheel Kumar, only added to the pressure.

Other than Smriti Irani, on Tuesday Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi spoke in support of the protestors and demanded strict punishment for union labor minister and the VC.