Highlights
- 26-year-old Rohith Vemula was a Dalit student of the University of Hyderabad
- He died by suicide in 2016 following alleged harassment
- His death triggered a nationwide agitation against casteism in institutions of higher learning
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday paid tributes to Rohith Vemula on his death anniversary, and said he remains a symbol of resistance and his hero. "Rohith Vemula was murdered by discrimination and indignities against his Dalit identity," he said on Twitter. "Even as years go by, he remains a symbol of resistance and his brave mother a symbol of hope. For fighting till the very end, Rohith is my hero, my brother who was wronged," Gandhi also said.
Vemula, a 26-year-old Dalit student of the University of Hyderabad, died by suicide on January 17, 2016 following alleged harassment. His death triggered a nationwide agitation against casteism in institutions of higher learning.
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