Countering claims of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj that Rohith Vemula was not a Dalit, SC/ST commission chairman PL Punia on Monday said he had certificated proving that the late scholar from Hyderabad University belonged to Scheduled Caste.
" In an absolutely unnecessary move, some ministers from the Centre are trying to divert the focus from the case by saying that Rohith Vemula did not belong from a Scheduled Caste. These are all rumours as I have copies of certificates proving his background. His younger brother and mother both have valid certificates about their caste,"Punia told ANI. Condemning the controversy being stroked by the Centre, he added that on 8th February a high-level meeting will be called to take a call to discuss the current situation of the case and also what further actions are going to taken.
"Chief Secretary of Telangana, the University VC, Guntur District Magistrate will all attend a meeting on the 8th of February to take a call on what steps to be taken next. Will also discuss as to how help can be provided to Rohith's family. Also his fellowship money that was held, needs to be released," Punia said. Earlier, Swaraj stated clearly that the University of Hyderabad PhD scholar Rohith Vemula, who committed suicide, was not a member of the Dalit community.
"The facts have come out in the case and as per as my complete knowledge, that student (Rohith) was not a dalit. By calling him a dalit student, this whole case has been raised as a communal incident by some people," Swaraj said.
