It has been over nine years since University of Hyderabad research scholar Rohith Vemula died by suicide, alleging caste discrimination. The death of the 25-year-old on January 17, 2016, triggered nationwide protests against casteism in educational institutions. The Congress government in neighbouring Karnataka is now considering implementing the Rohith Vemula Act to prevent “exclusion or injustice” to students based on their social, economic or religious background. At its plenary in 2023, the Congress had passed a resolution that if voted back to power, it would enact a special Act named after Rohith Vemula to protect and safeguard the right to education and dignity of Dalits, tribals, Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and minorities. In an interview, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge says that he has recommended the implementation of the Rohith Act to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar. Excerpts: What are the origins of the Rohith Vemula Act and why was it recommended? The Rohith Vemula Act was recommended because of the caste-based discrimination that has been happening in institutions of higher learning. In his death note, if you recollect, Rohith Vemula explicitly wrote about caste-based discrimination. Students coming into institutions of higher learning through reservation and merit are being discriminated against. Such discrimination will become a deterrent for students who come from historically marginalised communities. Are caste-based atrocities a reality in higher educational institutions? Isn’t caste-based discrimination a reality in our society? For example, when anybody else becomes CM, they say a state is getting a Chief Minister. But when a Dalit becomes the Chief Minister, they call him Dalit Chief Minister. Isn’t this discrimination? Whether you like it or not, caste is prevalent in our society. Whether you like it or not it has deep roots in our social fabric. Whether you like it or not, it is prevalent in all institutions across verticals. For the larger student community, what does Rohith Vemula’s demise signify? We lost a brilliant student, an aspiring great mind. He could have contributed to the community and society in a bigger and better way. But unfortunately, because of various reasons, he had to end his life. That should not happen to anyone else. As a government, we should ensure that every student, irrespective of their socio-economic background, is given an opportunity to flourish. Why is the Karnataka government considering implementation of the Rohith Act now? The Rohith Act was a part of the Karnataka Congress manifesto and part of Congress’ Lok Sabha election manifesto. We are only following up on this. While protecting everybody’s right to study, we should ensure a conducive learning environment for students from less privileged backgrounds. We will get into the nitty-gritty and have widespread consultations before implementing the Act. We will consult with legal experts, NGOs, and people who have been in social agitations. We will consult the institutions of higher learning and the departments of Home and Higher Education. Is the implementation of the Rohith Vemula Act a part of the Congress’s push for social justice? Can it be replicated in other states? I can only speak for my state government, Karnataka. The Congress has always stood up for social justice, whether it is caste census or Acts like this. Karnataka is the state that implements the Karnataka Scheduled Castes Sub-Allocation and Tribal Sub-Allocation (Planning, Allocation and Utilisation of Financial Resources) Act, 2013. Of our budget, 21% goes to the welfare of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). Why isn’t the Central government interested in implementing this? If the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are so keen on the welfare of SCs, STs, and OBCs, then they should implement a similar provision in the Union Budget.
