Toronto protests against the Mysterious death of Dalit Scholor Rohit Vemula

By: Dave Jhamat

The Dalit and Bahujan organizations of Toronto held a peaceful Solidarity March for Dalit Ph.D. research scholar Rohith Vemula on Friday January 29, 2016.

Rohit Vemula, 26, was working on his Ph.D. at Hyderabad Central University. Last August, he and four fellow Dalit
students (Dalits are the lowest caste in India’s traditional caste hierarchy) clashed with a group of students
supporting the majority Bahrita Janata Party (B.J.P.). After the clash, Telengana politician Bandaru Dattatreya,the minister of
Labor and Employment in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration, wrote to the Minister of Education, alleged
by complaining about anti-nationalist activity occurring on campus.

Joint Solidarity Peace March against the mysterious death of Dalit Scholar Rohit Vemula took place at 1:00 pm from the Sherbourne Subway Station  to Office of Consulate General of India.

A memorandum was handed over to the Consulate General of India by the representatives  with a request to forward

 it  to the President of India, The Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, Chairmans, SC, ST Commissions, and
Chairman, SC/ST Parliamentary Forum.

The memorandum appeals  for  justice with regard to   suspension of five Dalit  Ph. D. scholars by the Hyderabad

Central University (HCU) on account of  caste discrimination/ prejudices. The order of suspension was issued to them

without giving them an opportunity to explain their case in their defense in spite of the fact that they were already

acquitted of the charges  by the fact finding committee instituted by the HCU.                                         
               
The participants rallied for more than two hours in freezing temperatures. Many community organization and
local university student leaders including  Ambedkarite leader Mr. Arun Gautam spoke about the alleged ill-treatment of minorities in India.