‘Rohith Vemula was not a Dalit’: Who was the student, whose death sparked a political uproar?

Rohith Vemula had become a symbol of Dalit resistance in the aftermath of his death. File image

In January 2016, the death of Rohith Vemula, a young research scholar at Hyderabad Central University, had caused a national uproar. It had sparked an important conversation about systemic discrimination that Dalits face in educational institutions in India. Now, Vemula, specifically his caste status, is back in the headlines.

We explain why Vemula’s name is back in the news, and why his death in 2016 had caused a furore in India. We also shed light on the important political context surrounding the deceased student.

Rohit Vemula, back in the headlines

A closure report has thrust Vemula back into the national conversation. This report, filed by the Telangana Police, claims that Vemula was not a member of the Scheduled Caste (SC) community as he had purported to be. Instead, it alleges that the SC certificate used by Vemula was falsified by his mother. The closure report has not cited any evidence for this claim.

The report instead alleges that Vemula’s suicide was prompted by him not performing well academically due to his involvement in protests and activities of the Ambedkar Students’ Association, which advocates for the rights of Dalits. It further claims that Vemula was stressed about his mother arranging a fake caste certificate for him. The claim is that Vemula feared his true caste would be revealed, which could lead to the loss of his academic achievements.

The family, particularly Vemula’s brother, has criticized the police for focusing more on Vemula’s caste rather than investigating the alleged harassment and institutional discrimination he faced.

Previous opposition to such claims about Vemula’s caste

In October 2016, months after he had committed suicide, Vemula’s caste identity had come into question. Back then, a one-man judicial commission of A K Roopanwal had suggested that Vemula did not belong to the SC community.

This was promptly countered by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) Chairman P L Punia. He had said that the report of the commission was fake and fictitious, adding that “The final authority on caste is District Collector, and the Collector with conclusive evidences has given us report that he is a Scheduled Caste (person) and does not belong backward class.”

Punia also pointed out how an inquiry set up for determining the cause of death of Vemula, had instead chosen to question whether he was a Dalit or not.

Back then, the allegations against this commission were that its focus seemed to not be on getting justice for him, but to instead weaken with the image of systemic discrimination against Dalits.

Who Was Rohith Vemula?

Rohith Vemula was a 26-year-old doctoral student whose life and death have become emblematic of the systemic issues faced by Dalit students in India’s educational institutions. His suicide note, lamenting his birth as a “fatal accident” due to his caste, resonated deeply, turning Vemula into a symbol of Dalit resistance and mobilisation.

Before his death, Vemula was expelled from his hostel room. He was accused of being involved in an altercation with some members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) student arm, Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP). It was alleged that Member of Parliament Bandaru Datttareya had put pressure on Vice Chancellor of Hyderabad University, C Appa Rao, to punish Vemula after this incident. Union minister Smriti Irani was also said to have followed up on this matter.

Days before his suicide, Vemula had written a letter to the V-C alleging that he was facing harassment, false cases and complaints.

The aftermath of his death saw widespread protests, not only on university campuses but also in political corridors from Hyderabad to New Delhi. These protests compelled the government to address allegations of caste-based discrimination within higher education.

The political context

Vemula’s death was also heavily politicised. The opposition Congress party accused the BJP of “failing to initiate action” against its leaders, including Union Minister Irani. The saffron party fluctuated between accusing the Congress of politicizing the death of a “brave” student and questioning Vemula’s Dalit identity.

The closure report, too, absolves several key political figures previously implicated in exacerbating the circumstances leading to Vemula’s suicide. It is interesting to note that the report comes just 10 days before voting in Telangana for the Lok Sabha polls on May 13.

The report has been met with skepticism and dismay. This latest development has reopened wounds and prompted calls for further investigation.The allegations have stirred significant disappointment and anger among his family and supporters.

Telangana is a Congress-ruled state. The party came to power in December last year. It had promised justice for Vemula. Now, the party is pushing for re-investigation in this case.

Rohith Vemula’s tragic end is not just a story of a young man lost too soon but a continuing dialogue on caste, identity, and institutional accountability in India. As new reports emerge and old wounds are reopened, the debate around his life and death remains as pertinent as ever.