Irani trying to defend government for inaction in Rohith's case: CPI

The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Saturday said that Union Human and Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani is trying to defend the government's inaction in the matter of Hyderabad University scholar Rohith Vemula, and added that her statement in Parliament earlier this week was full of lies and contradictions.

"We believe whatever the MHRD Smriti Irani was telling in the House were full of contradictions, all lies and unsubstantiated reports. We strongly believe Rohith's mother and brother because they are the affected people. They know what happened there actually and one has to believe them," CPI leader D. Raja told ANI.

"The minister is trying to defend the government for its failures and inaction. The minister comes and tells the Parliament which are not correct at all. They were all being contradicted by many sources, not only by Rohith's mother, even by the students of the university. They said they are all lies and falsehoods. The ministry should clarify why a minister should do such a thing," he added.

Under fire over the Dalit scholar's suicide, Irani said in the Rajya Sabha, "It is incorrect that there is no member of SC community in the inquiry committee. Rohith Vemula's mother asked for a judicial inquiry into the child's death. I assured her justice will be done."

The family of Rohith Vemula, who committed suicide, on Friday said that they would 'expose the lies' propagated by Irani in the Parliament to divert the entire issue which has started troubling the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre.

Accusing Irani of lying and attempting to divert attention from the entire issue, Rohith's mother Radhika Vemula said that her son did not receive a stipend for seven months.

Rohith, who committed suicide, last month, was among the five research scholars suspended by the Hyderabad University in August last year over an alleged assault case.

The matter took a political turn with allegations that the extreme step taken by Rohith was a result of discrimination against Dalit students at the behest of Union Minister of State for Labour Bandaru Dattatreya, following his letter to the Union HRD Minister, seeking action against their 'anti-national acts'.