BJP says Muslim League politicised issue

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday accused the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) of using the family of Hyderabad University student Rohith Vemula for political gains. Vemula’s mother Radhika, however, denied the charge.

“I was anxious after reading Rohith Vemula’s mother’s statement. For how long will some opposition parties continue playing politics over it? The family is financially unstable and fake assurance of money was made to a distressed mother for political purposes,” BJP leader Piyush Goyal told reporters.

“In her statement, Radhika Vemula said IUML made false promises of providing a sum of ~20 lakh and asked her to address their rallies and misrepresent the unfortunate incident,” Goyal claimed. He said she was asked to travel to Kerala and address the rallies for the IUML.

Rohith Vemula, a PhD student at Hyderabad University, committed suicide on the campus on January 17, 2016. His suicide triggered a massive row as the opposition parties described it as a case of atrocities against Dalits.

Lashing out at the IUML leaders, the BJP leader said: “According to his mother, the IUML gave them two cheques of ~2.5 lakh, out of which one bounced.”

Targeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Goyal said, “I received information that even Congress president took Vemula’s family to stages and asked them to make statements. Rahul Gandhi should apologise for doing petty politics.”

Vemula’s mother Radhika, however, denied that the IUML used them for political gains. “It’s true that IUML promised to provide me with money, but they haven’t used me for political gains. It was my wish to speak against PM (Narendra) Modi and if needed I will speak again in any of their meeting,” ANI quoted Radhika saying.

Radhika agreed the IUML sent them two cheques of ~2.5 lakh, of which one bounced. “We infor med them and they said they’d directly provide us money so that we can buy a house,” said Radhika.

HYDERABAD: ROHITH VEMULA, A PHD STUDENT AT HYDERABAD UNIVERSITY, COMMITTED SUICIDE ON THE CAMPUS ON JANUARY 17, 2016