Was not paid to target PM, BJP says Rohit Vemula’s mother

Radhika Vemula, the mother of University of Hyderabad research scholar Rohith Vemula whose suicide in 2016 had sparked a major political row, denied she was given money to target the BJP over her son's death.

This is...full of lies. Nobody paid me to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the BJP. I do hold them responsible for my son's death, Radhika told NDTV after Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal accused the opposition of exploiting the tragedy for political gains.

"I only told an online media that the Indian Union Muslim League promised me some money to buy a house following my son's death. But that was not for attending any rally or criticising the Prime Minister or the BJP, she said.

She added that organisers of the rallies made travel arrangements for her.

I still do my job (stitching clothes) for livelihood, she said.

Radhika lives in Sangadigunta on the outskirts of Guntur city in the Andhra Pradesh capital region. Her younger son Raja, an auto driver, too supports her.