Scholar's suicide: Rahul seeks action against Dattatreya, VC

Hyderabad, Jan 19 Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday favoured the students' demand for action against union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, the Hyderabad University vice chancellor and others allegedly responsible for the suicide of a Dalit scholar here.

Addressing students at the University of Hyderabad premises, where the Dalit research scholar committed suicide, he asserted that there was no question of politicising the issue but assured all support to the students in their "struggle for justice".

Without naming anybody, the Congress leader said the union minister in Delhi and the vice chancellor created conditions which led to research scholar Rohith Vemula committing suicide.

Backing the students' demand for action against the union minister, the university VC and others allegedly responsible, he said the students should have the right to express themselves on the university campus.

Rahul Gandhi, who spent nearly two hours meeting four other suspended Dalit students and consoling the family of Vemula, also demanded compensation to the family.