Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has urged the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Himachal Pradesh to introduce the Rohit Vemula Act to prevent discrimination against Dalit students in educational institutions. In letters addressed to Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday, Rahul Gandhi emphasized the urgent need for such a law.
Citing Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s painful recollections of caste discrimination during his childhood, Rahul Gandhi highlighted how systemic injustices persist even today. Quoting Ambedkar, he wrote: “We have enough food. On the other hand, hunger is burning in our stomachs. In spite of everything, we have to sleep without food. That’s because we are untouchables.”
Gandhi pointed out that Ambedkar’s experiences of being forced to sit separately in school were deeply shameful and stressed that no student should face such indignities again.
“Even today, lakhs of Dalit, Adivasi, and OBC students suffer brutal discrimination within our educational system,” Rahul Gandhi stated. He referred to tragic incidents like the deaths of Rohit Vemula, Payal Tadvi, and Darshan Solanki, calling them unacceptable and preventable with stronger protections.
He urged the Congress-led governments of Telangana and Himachal Pradesh to lead by example by enacting the Rohit Vemula Act, ensuring educational institutions are safe, inclusive spaces for all marginalized students.
