Irani insensitive to Rohith's family, say varsity teachers


Hyderabad, Feb 28 (IANS): Targetting central minister Smriti Irani over suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula, the SC/ST Teachers Forum and Concerned Faculty of University of Hyderabad alleged that she is insensitive to grieving family and friends.

It also remarked that truth and justice and not melodrama is expected from a minister.

"As teachers, as ministers we have much more to offer - truth, equality, justice, hope, and inspiration. Not melodrama," the forum said in an open letter to Irani, the union human resource development minister.

The teachers' body not only stated that she is culpable in Vemula's death but also came down heavily on her for "factually incorrect claims" made during her speech in parliament.

"Not only are your claims factually incorrect but they point to an utter lack of respect and sensitivity for the grieving family, friends, and students. You are clearly disconnected from the heart-breaking grief of his friends palpable to anyone present that night or the accompanying anger knowing the injustice that led to this tragedy," it said.

"Does it befit our honourable minister to implicate these very grieving people in the death of their beloved friend," the forum asked.

It also wanted to know from the minister as to when "this sinister, anti-national, casteist, Dalit student of the University of Hyderabad transformed into a child" for her.

On Irani's claim that Vemula could could possible have been revived but no doctor was allowed near him on the night of January 17, the faculty said incontrovertible facts have emerged that belie this.

"You were not there that night, respected minister. You did not see the grief or the shock, nor were you there to feel the despair. How could you even begin to fathom how desperate students were when they called faculty members and medical doctor of the University's Health Centre as soon as Rohith's body was found hanging by students and security officials," it said.

Giving a detailed account of the events that led to suspension of five Dalit students and to the suicide of Vemula, the forum rebutted various claims made by the minister.

It urged her not turn this into a fight against students "who have nothing to rely upon, no power - political or social, no connections, no money, not even a home".

  

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Comment on this article

  • manoj, vamanjoor

    Mon, Feb 29 2016

    what else one could expect from a 10th pass actor, sad to say even her acting skills couldn't save her from embarrassment

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Evans Christopher Sumitra, UDUPI/NEW YORK,USA.

    Mon, Feb 29 2016

    Irani is not only insensitive but also incompatative in her duties. She has miserably failed in every respect.

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Victor Alvares, Mangalore/Bangalore

    Mon, Feb 29 2016

    Madam Smrithi Irani is a good efficient and capable leader. All these comments are highly biased and politically motivated. There is no second thought about it.

    Look at Rahul Gandhi who is the prime ministerial candidate of CONgress. He does not know what he speaks. But seculars find it highly intellectual! Hypocricy of the highest order.

    Congiss target her because she took on RG in the parliament and exposed him.

    Let the seculars know that vast majority knows the dirty game of opposition parties.

    DisAgree [1] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Alwyn Crasta, Mangalore/Bangalore

    Sun, Feb 28 2016

    Smriti Irani, even after shifting from the small screen to the big screen, still believes that she has to excel in dramebaazi/make-believe (where truth is the biggest casualty).

    Nothing else matters to her, even when the country is literally burning.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • Alphonso Rodrigues, Udupi

    Sun, Feb 28 2016

    Rohith should consider himself lucky. He can take rebirth in any tolerant country like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Syria, Iraq etc.

    DisAgree [9] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • MANKIND WELWISHER, MANGALORE

    Sun, Feb 28 2016

    The SC/ST Teachers Forum and Concerned Faculty of University of Hyderabad must be thankful to their fortune that they have the legacy of Employment in a University & drawing approximately 1 Lac to 2 lac or higher salary per month & will also enjoy the retirement with various kind of benefits to the tune of nearly 50 to 9O Lacs lumpsum benefits when they retire.

    Persons like me do not have any reservation and today even though we have higher educational qualification from prominent Indian varsities last nearly 25 yrs back, we have to live our life doing our own business or work in other Pvt companies earning about 20K.

    So we don't have time to even condemning the politicians as we know they cant help us now. Definitely the HRD Minister's
    concern on improving the Quality of Higher Education system in India for a long time in the days ahead, so that people like me will not have any problem what we faced last 25yrs & till another 20 yrs or more.

    Better they keep quite without wasting their precious time for which the Govt is paying them for teaching better quality education to the students & desist from any sort of Politics.

    Hope many of you will agree with my experience & sufferings.

    DisAgree [7] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vishal, Mangalore

    Sun, Feb 28 2016

    Without an iota of doubt, Smriti Irani has proved totally incompetent and incongruous to the post she has been gifted with. Time and again she has goofed up matters and this post which requires a highly competent and educated person has been left in the lurch. It is too much to expect her to do anything worthwhile because she is just not cut out for this post. It is beyond her capability to handle this position.

    However, nothing is likely to change as this lady has been foist on the country by the RSS who, unfortunately, are calling the shots and the poor P.M. is dancing to its tunes. This is hardly the country we expected Modi to take forward. Where is that person who was roaring like a tiger before the elections promising the moon to the voters? Where have the promises disappeared? Acche din are nowhere in sight. Instead, the dark clouds of emergency are hovering over our heads. India is in the news, no doubt, but for all the wrong reasons.

    DisAgree [8] Agree [24] Reply Report Abuse

  • A. S. Mathew, U.S.A.

    Mon, Feb 29 2016

    Her dad's RSS work experience and her work record are the solid qualification to be the Minister and the patronage of Mr. Modi makes that stronger. Who can question that in an autocratic theocracy?

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Michael Noronha, Mysuru

    Sun, Feb 28 2016

    A literate team of faculty advising an illiterate HRD Minister, who is the boss of the Education Ministry, is like throwing pearls before a monkey. When the boss in the cabinet Mr Modi is supportive of his Minister, what more can the citizens expect?

    DisAgree [8] Agree [40] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Sun, Feb 28 2016

    Blame it all on her PAST ...

    DisAgree [7] Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse


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