Rohith Vemula's family will get justice: Union Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot

Pune, Jan 30: The Congress and other Opposition parties were politicising the suicide of Rohith Vemula for their own gains, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot today said and assured his family will get justice.

"Before this suicide, there were eight to nine students who had committed suicide on the campus (of Hyderabad Central University). We were in Opposition then but we did not politicise the matter and worked towards getting justice for the victims' families.

"But now Congress and other Opposition parties are politicising the death (of Rohith) for political gains," he told reporters here.

The BJP leader said the stipend Rs 25,000 given to the Dalit students, including Rohith, was stopped after the varsity authorities found that a campus group they were associated with was involved in "anti-national" activities like condemning the execution in July last year of Yakub Memon, who was involved in 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts.

"When ABVP (BJP's students wing) objected to their activities, one of them, Sushil Kumar, was beaten up and later five students, including Rohith, were expelled," he said.

He said a judicial inquiry has been initiated into the death of the PhD student.

"We assure real culprits will be booked and Rohith's family will get justice."

"Rohith's family members have refused to accept an ex-gratia amount of Rs 8 lakh. But we are giving them complete help and will ensure justice for them," the Minister asserted.

PTI