#and april mein ambedkar ki murti ko garland karenge!

[pyotra]

All day, the university was charged with emotion on account of one year’s passing since the institutional murder of Rohith Vemula. At around 11:00 am in the morning, students garlanded the portrait of Rohith Vemula. It also served as a rallying call to mobilise the student community within the campus. After a short break for lunch, concerned students of the university gathered at shopping complex at 3:00 pm, where the velivada (dalit ghetto) is located. The event kicked off with Ambedkar Students Association leader, Dontha Prashanth reciting two letters written by Rohith Vemula to the University vice chancellor.

This was followed by songs dedicated to Rohith and his struggles. Next, as word spread that the guests were due to arrive on campus, the crowd divided into two lines and marched to the front gate, which was locked up by a combine of police officers and security guards under orders from the vice chancellor and the state government. The students broke open the chains binding the gates after intense pressure and forced the police to clear a path into the university. Then, the police began to grab the agitating students and placed them in the bus and detained them at Gachibowli station. 

Meanwhile, at university, Radhikamma had arrived along with Raja Vemula, the sarvaiyas, Najeeb’s brother, and Rahul Sonpimple (suspended BAPSA leader from JNU). The most anticipated speaker of the day, Radhikamma, asserted in no uncertain terms that she would continue the struggle until she gets justice for her son’s institutional murder. She said that the government has been harassing her mentally by questioning her dalit identity, as well as that of her son. She said that dalits across the country should devote time at least during the summer vacation to study the writings of Dr. BR Ambedkar. She promised to participate in all debates across media channels, too. 

After the guests concluded their address to the gathering, the students attempted to lead Radhikamma to the velivada to fulfil her most cherished wish of hugging her son’s stupa and garlanding it. However, in a ruthless act of barbarism, she was forced out of the location and bundled into a police van, which was kept in an isolated spot at Gachibowli stadium, before ferrying the detainees to the Gachibowli police station.

The names of the detainees are Radhika Vemula, Raja Vemula, Vijay Kumar, Syed Riyaz, Premila, Kavyashree, Dara Ashok, Ravali and reporter, Sudipto Mondal. An effigy of KCR was burnt in front of the main gate.

The student community is shocked by the insensitivity of the police and the Telangana government towards a mother who lost her son. We demand a safe return of Radhikamma to the campus, along with the rest of the detained students.

For more details, contact – Bala – 9949960938, Nikhil Cariappa – 8527179821, Ijas – 8593903858

Jai Bhim,

Justice for Rohith Vemula.

Joint Action Committee for Social Justice – UOH.