Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has written to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, urging him to implement the proposed Rohith Vemula Act.
The legislation named after Hyderabad Central University Ph.D. scholar Rohith Vemula is aimed at “putting a firm end” to caste-based discrimination in educational institutions.
In a letter dated April 17, Rahul emphasized that no student should suffer the pain of caste discrimination, citing the tragic deaths of Rohith Vemula, Payal Tadvi, and Darshan Solanki. “Their murders cannot be accepted,” he wrote, calling for an end to caste-based atrocities, which he compared to the discrimination faced by Dr BR Ambedkar.
Rahul’s move is being seen as a strong counter to the BJP’s narrative portraying the Congress party as being anti-Ambedkar. Rahul has frequently criticized the BJP and its ideological mentor RSS for promoting the Brahminical philosophy of Manusmriti, which divides society into hierarchical castes.
The Congress party, during its Raipur convention, had resolved to enact a Rohith Vemula Act in states where it came to power. Himachal, currently under a Congress government, has initiated work on the draft of the proposed legislation. Once complete, the Chief Minister is expected to share it with Rahul Gandhi.
Himachal Pradesh already has several welfare schemes in place for SC, ST, and OBC students, including scholarships, fee waivers, and job reservations. However, incidents of caste-based discrimination, especially in schools, have surfaced in the past. The state’s education department has issued strict guidelines, and a toll-free number has been made available for reporting such cases.
Naresh Chauhan, Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister (Media), confirmed that the state government is acting on Rahul Gandhi’s letter. “Efforts are underway to ensure Dalit and backward class students can access higher education without facing discrimination,” he stated.
