New report declared Rohith Vemula a non-Dalit based on testimonies of only two out of seven people

The inquiry report that recently declared Hyderabad scholar Rohith Vemula an OBC, thereby going against the earlier probe which said that he was a Dalit, took the testimonials of only two people says an HT story.

The findings of the new report are being questioned by Rohith's family and lawyers who believe that a fresh inquiry was conducted so Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya and university vice-chancellor (V-C) P Appa Rao who were accused of caste discrimination and abetment of suicide could escape stern action.  “Once Rohith is certified a non-Dalit, those in the dock for allegedly abetting his suicide will not be tried under the more stringent SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. It is a simple game to protect the accused,” the lawyer fighting the case, Jai Bhimrao said.  

The new probe was conducted by the joint collector of Guntur district and it took into consideration of the testimonial of only two people who claimed Rohith was an OBC over the testimonies of five  others who said he was a Dalit from the Mala caste. 

Rohith's adoptive grandmother who belonged to the OBC caste, his grandfather, and his two siblings had said he was a Dalit. But the inquiry team weighed in Rohith’s estranged father's and paternal grandmother's statements that he was an OBC. 

The report did not reject that his mother was a Dalit.

The earlier probe was conducted by Kantilal Dande, the deputy collector of Guntur, in the first week of June 2016. But the state government put the findings aside and ordered a new probe. 

Rohith's family also alleged the state government asked for the new report as it was under pressure from BJP-led Centre. “This report has been prepared under pressure from the Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh government, which is a close ally of the BJP and PM Narendra Modi,” Raja Vemula, Rohith's brother said.