The Andhra Pradesh government has announced that Rohith Vemula, the research scholar who committed suicide triggering nationwide uproar over ill-treatment of Dalits, was not a Dalit and that he belonged to Other Backward Class (OBC).
In its final report submitted to Andhra Pradesh government, the District Level Scrutiny Committee in Guntur district said that the Scheduled Caste certificate obtained through fraudulent means by the family should also be cancelled.
Speaking to an English News Channel, Guntur Collector Kantilal Dande said: “Yes, we have submitted the report. We have conducted detailed inquiry, and found he was not a Dalit as claimed by his family.”
#Andhra:Guntur collector review report concludes that Rohith Vemula was not a Dalit,certificate obtained by fraudulent means to be cancelled
— ANI (@ANI_news) February 14, 2017
“As a procedure, the family has been intimated about the findings of the inquiry. A notice has been sent seeking their response, before any action,” said Dande.
The government on Monday also served a show cause notice on Radhika (Rohith’s mother) as to why she cannot be declared as belonging to the Vaddera community, which falls under the OBC category.
Notice served to Vemula family,informing report findings;response sought as to why the certificate should not be cancelled: Guntur collector
— ANI (@ANI_news) February 14, 2017
Radhika’s other son, Raja Vemula has confirmed that she was served the notice from the Guntur administration.
“They gave her two weeks’ time to prove that she indeed belonged to SC community and not an OBC. We are consulting our lawyers to study the notice and give a proper reply,” Hindustan Times quoted Raja as saying.
Earlier Rohith’s mother had alleged that government was trying to declare him an OBC.
“Governments are desperate to declare Rohit as Other Backward Class (OBC). After my son’s demise… they are now behind me. They want to declare my son as OBC. I know what humiliation I have undergone being Dalit in the society,” she had alleged.
