SC seeks response from centre on plea moved by mothers of Rohith Vemula, Payal Tadvi

The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the Central government and University Grants Commission (UGC) on a petition filed by mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi seeking a direction to stop the caste-based discrimination in universities and higher learning institutions across the country.

Payal Tadvi and Rohith Vemula had committed suicide owing to alleged caste discrimination.

Tadvi, who belonged to the Scheduled Tribe community, had allegedly ended her life in her hostel room at BYL Nair Hospital on May 22, allegedly after facing harassment from her seniors due to her caste.

Vemula, a Ph.D. scholar at the Hyderabad Central University, on the other hand, was found hanging from a ceiling fan in a hostel room on January 17, 2016. He was allegedly upset over disciplinary actions that were taken against him by the university.

Their mothers -- Abeda Salim Tadvi and Radhika Vemula -- had moved a petition in the apex court last month seeking the implementation of UGC regulations of 2012 which restricts such discrimination on campuses.

The petition also sought that a direction be issued to all universities and higher learning institutions to establish "Equal Opportunity Cells" on the lines of such other existing anti-discrimination internal complaints mechanisms.

They pleaded the court to direct all educational institutions to upload all measures for elimination of caste-based discrimination and procedure on their websites.

They also sought a direction from the court to give punishments to those who breach UGC set rules.