PM should stop 'pretence' and take action: Congress on Rohith Vemula case

The party has been demanding immediate sacking of Smriti Irani, Bandaru Dattatreya and the University's Vice-Chacellor

Keeping up the pressure on the Rohith Vemula suicide issue, Congress today demanded that the Prime Minister should "stop pretence of emotions" and take action.

"Prime Minister should stop this pretence of emotions and the expressions of words of sympathy. He has a moral and constitutional duty to take action," party's senior spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters.

He insisted that action was needed "as there have been contradictions" ever since the suicide of Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad.

"BJP as a political party made statements which were insulting and hurtful. Instead of being sincere in expression of sympathies, the ministers of the government, including Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya did act in a manner which calls for not only condemnation but action," he insisted.

He lamented that the HRD minister "who is surrounded by not one but multiple controversies remains unaccountable".

The party has been demanding immediate sacking of Irani, Dattatreya and University Vice-Chacellor Appa Rao.