'Acknowledge Rohith’s Dalit identity, punish those responsible for his death’

Counterview Desk

In an open letter, the civil rights group All-India Feminist Alliance has expressed solidarity with the struggle of Radhika Vemula, mother of Rohith Vemula, Dalit PhD student of University of Hyderabad who was forced to commit suicide in 2016 because of the authorities' indifference towards his plight after his scholarship was withheld.

The letter regrets the recent decision of the Telangana police to file a ‘closure report’, wrongfully stating that Rohith is not Dalit, calling it "an affront to his life, his struggle as a brilliant scholar, his Ambedkarite principles, his resistance to Brahmanical oppression, and the harrowing circumstances in which his institutional murder took place."

Text:

Dear Radhika garu,

Jai Bhim. We, the undersigned members of the All-India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA), write to express our unwavering support and solidarity with you, as you are forced to undertake yet another struggle to challenge the erasure of Rohith’s identity. We share your pain and anguish, while we also salute your spirit to march onwards for justice and dignity, for Rohith, for yourself, for all Dalits in the country.

The recent development of the Telangana police filing a ‘closure report’, wrongfully stating that Rohith is not Dalit is an affront to his life, his struggle as a brilliant scholar, his Ambedkarite principles, his resistance to Brahmanical oppression, and the harrowing circumstances in which his institutional murder took place. This regressive report undermines his memory and dishonours the tireless pursuit by you, as his brave mother, his family, students and friends, in seeking justice and dignity for Rohith.

Rohith’s ‘death’ is a stark reminder of the systemic injustices and deep-seated discrimination and violence that Dalits continue to endure, despite constitutional safeguards, and this police report is yet another manifestation of that oppression. The attempt to erase Rohith’s Dalit identity is not just a denial of his life and experiences; it is a denial of the struggles faced by you and millions of Dalits across our country. It insults their dignity, their aspirations, and their right to justice.

Radhika garu, your strong determination to ensure that Rohith’s life, struggle and memory is not tarnished and that his legacy of resistance lives on, is a testament to your strength and resilience.

Rohith’s death is a stark reminder of the systemic injustices and deep-seated discrimination and violence that Dalits continue to endure

Owing to widespread student and public outrage and your meeting with the Chief Minister a few days back, the state police has clarified its decision to investigate the case further, with permission from the Court. In this situation, we call upon the authorities to conduct a thorough and fair inquiry.

We demand that Rohith’s Dalit identity be acknowledged and respected and all those responsible for his ‘death’, including former VC of the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) and those in high positions of power in the BJP-led Central Government, be brought to justice.

As has been promised by the Congress Govt repeatedly and even recently, we demand that the Rohith Vemula Act be passed, in order to safeguard the right to education, non-discrimination, safety and dignity of students from Dalit, adivasi, OBC backgrounds as well as students from religious minorities and gender marginalisations. Perpetrators of crimes against all these students must be punished as per Rohith Act.

Dear Radhika garu: As you continue your fight for justice, please know that you are not alone. You are fighting for millions of youth across India. And millions of people across India are with you. As feminists, we stand with you in your constant efforts at affirming Rohith’s and your struggle against caste-based discrimination, seeking a fair investigation and action towards justice and accountability. We are with you, shoulder to shoulder, in solidarity and sisterhood. Together, we shall overcome.

From shadows to the stars! Rohith Vemula Amar Rahe!

Jai Bhim, Jai Savitri!

---

Click here for signatories

Comments

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Study links sanctions to 500,000 deaths annually leading to rise in global backlash

By Bharat Dogra International opinion is increasingly turning against the expanding burden of sanctions imposed on a growing number of countries. These measures are contributing to humanitarian crises, intensifying domestic discord, and heightening international tensions, thereby increasing the risks of conflicts and wars.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge — Blurring the line between fiction and political narrative

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* "Dhurandhar: The Revenge" does not wait to be remembered; it arrives almost on the heels of its predecessor, released on March 19, 2026, just months after the first film’s December 2025 debut. The speed of its arrival feels less like creative urgency and more like calculated timing—cinema responding not to storytelling rhythm but to the emotional climate of its audience. Director Aditya Dhar, along with actor Yami Gautam, appears acutely aware of this moment and how to harness it.

BJP accounts for 99% of political donations in Gujarat: Corporate giants dominate

By Jag Jivan An analysis of the official data on donations received by national parties from Gujarat during the Financial Year 2024-25 reveals a staggering concentration of funding, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounting for nearly the entirety of the contributions. The data, compiled in a document titled "National Parties donations received from Gujarat during FY-2024-25," lists thousands of transactions, painting a detailed picture of the financial backing for political parties from one of India’s most industrially significant states.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Captains extraordinaire: Ranking cricket’s most influential skippers

By Harsh Thakor* Ranking the greatest cricket captains is a subjective exercise, often sparking passionate debate among fans. The following list is not merely a tally of wins and losses; it is an assessment of leadership’s deeper impact. My criteria fuse a captain’s playing record with their tactical skill, placing the highest consideration on their ability to reshape a team’s fortunes and inspire those around them. A captain who inherited a dominant empire is judged differently from one who resurrected a nation’s cricket from the doldrums. With that in mind, here is my perspective on the finest leaders the game has ever seen.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

‘No merit’ in Chakraborty’s claims: Personal ethics talk sans details raises questions

By Jag Jivan A recent opinion piece published in The Quint by Subhash Chandra Garg has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty from HDFC Bank , with Garg stating that the exit “raises doubts about his own ‘ethics’.” Garg, currently Chief Policy Advisor at Subhanjali and former Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, writes that the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) appears to find no substance in Chakraborty’s claims, noting, “It is clear the RBI sees no merit in Atanu Chakraborty’s wild and vague assertions.”

Search This Blog