Remembering Rohith Vemula: Towards the Rohith Act

Five years since Rohit Vemula’s institutional murder, students from dalit and other marginialised communities continue to face discrimination and harassment in institutions of higher education. The apathy of the government and university administration is reflected through their exclusionary policies. In this discussion organised by Democratic Students’ Federation, Prof. Sukhadeo Thorat (Professor Emeritus, JNU and former chairman of University Grants Commission), explains different aspects of the struggle that students from marginalized backgrounds have to face for higher education. He begins with the explanation of history of caste system and the denial of education to dalit communities and states that Vemula represents this history. He also argues for the need for an Act of law that would prohibit and punish any acts of discrimination against students based on caste, gender and religion.