Education
Karnataka: Bahujan Community Rejoices as CM Siddaramaiah Announces "Rohith Act" in Landmark 2026 Budget
Political circles and social media are buzzing with reactions from prominent intellectuals and leaders.
Bengaluru- In a move hailed as a "historic victory" for social justice, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah officially announced the enactment of the Rohith Vemula Act during the Karnataka Budget 2026-27 presentation on Friday. The legislation, formally titled the Rohith Vemula (Protection of SC/STs from Caste Discrimination in Higher Educational Institutions) Act, aims to dismantle systemic oppression across all government, private, and deemed universities in the state.
As the first state to enact the Rohith Vemula Act, Karnataka is transforming caste discrimination from a "guideline violation" into a punishable institutional crime, shifting the burden of safety from the student to the university.
The announcement has triggered a wave of celebration across the Bahujan community, student unions, and anti-caste activists who have campaigned for a decade since the institutional murder of Rohith Vemula in 2016.
Political circles and social media are buzzing with reactions from prominent intellectuals and leaders. Subhajit Naskar, a political scientist and assistant professor at Jadavpur University, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his support: Big Congratulations to Karnataka Congress Govt. led by CM Siddaramaiah for passing Rohith Act. A day for Anti Dalit BJP to hang their head in shame. RG to Priyank Kharge to H K Patil deserves kudos. Passing Rohith Act will pave ways in creating Inclusive Equal Diverse Campuses.
The hashtag #RohithVemulaAct began trending shortly after the budget speech. Here are some of the viral reactions. A tweet from Tribal Army read, " The Rohith Vemula Bill introduced by the Karnataka government is a historic and commendable step against caste discrimination in higher education institutions. This legislation sends a strong message toward ensuring dignity and equal rights for SC, ST, OBC, and underprivileged students on campus. It is hoped that other states will also take inspiration from this." Social activist Ravi Parmar claimed, "The Rohith Vemula Act has now become a reality. Any Brahmin, Baniya, or upper caste student/teacher found guilty of hatred or discrimination against a Dalit or Adivasi based on caste will be prosecuted under the SC/ST Act. No Manuwadi caste terrorist will be spared. Jai Bhim."
Members of 'Campaign for Rohith Act', coalition of civil society actors, student groups, lawyers, academics, and activists explain the need for the new law.
The activists assert that the deaths and disenfranchisement of SC/STs has not stopped despite 7 years since the institutional murder of the scholar Rohith and the demand for the Rohith Act. The Rohith Act was imagined as a law to end harassment of SC/ST students in higher education.
Two drafts were made by the Telangana State Congress Committee, and National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR). There had been a lack of widespread awareness of the contents of the drafts or mobilisation around the same.
Inspired by the long standing Dalit Movement and Student Movement in Karnataka, the group came together to demand a law to address caste discrimination in higher education.
In April 2025, a delegation of the All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA), led by National President G. Kiran Kumar, had held a significant interaction with the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
The delegation was accompanied by representatives from the Babasaheb Ambedkar Engineers Association (BANAE). Gowd told The Mooknayak that , during the meeting, the AIOBCSA leaders presented pressing concerns regarding the implementation of reservation policies, anomalies in faculty recruitment rosters, and the broader issues of social justice across the country.
A special emphasis was laid on the demand for the implementation of the Rohith Act-a proposed legislation to safeguard the rights and dignity of students from marginalized communities in higher educational institutions. Responding positively to the delegation's concerns, Rahul Gandhi assured his commitment to social justice and the upliftment of marginalized communities. Later Gandhi called on Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to enact and implement the Rohith Vemula Act, a proposed law to eliminate caste-based discrimination in educational institutions.
The push for the Act came amidst sobering statistics regarding the safety of marginalized students in India. Recent data highlighted during the legislative discussions indicates:
118.4% Increase: The rise in reported atrocities against SC/ST students on campuses over the last five years, according to UGC statistics.
122 Suicides: The number of students from marginalized communities who died by suicide in centrally funded institutions between 2014 and 2021.
Faculty Vacancies: As of June 2025, a significant portion of reserved faculty positions in higher education remain unfilled compared to general category posts, contributing to a lack of representation and mentorship for SC/ST students.
Rohith Vemula was a 26-year-old PhD scholar at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) and a prominent student activist with the Ambedkar Students' Association. His death by suicide on January 17, 2016, became a watershed moment in Indian politics, sparking a national debate on systemic caste discrimination in higher education.The "controversy" surrounding his death is multifaceted, involving political, social, and legal layers:
The events leading to his death began with a clash between the ASA and the ABVP (the student wing of the RSS). Following a complaint by an ABVP leader and subsequent letters from the Union HRD Ministry to the University, Rohith and four other Dalit students were suspended.
They were barred from entering the hostel, administrative building, and common areas.
The students set up a tent on campus (which they called a "Velivada" or Dalit ghetto) and began a hunger strike.
Rohith’s stipend which he used to support his family had also been stopped for months prior to the suspension.
Rohith’s final letter was deeply philosophical and heart-wrenching. He wrote, "My birth is my fatal accident," a phrase that became a rallying cry against caste-based exclusion. While he did not explicitly blame individuals in the note, his supporters termed his death an "institutional murder," arguing that the university and the government created a hostile environment that gave him no other choice.
One of the most persistent controversies involves Rohith's caste status.
The Dispute: His mother, Radhika Vemula, is from the Mala (SC) community but was raised by a Vaddera (OBC) family. Rohith was raised by his mother in a Dalit household and identified as a Dalit.
Government/Police Stance: Various reports, including a 2024 closure report by the Telangana Police, claimed that Rohith was technically OBC (Vaddera) and not a Dalit. They suggested he may have feared his "fraudulent" caste certificate would be exposed.
Family/Legal Stance: His family and legal experts argue that because he was raised by a Dalit mother and faced the social hardships associated with that identity, he legally and socially qualified as a Dalit.
The case became a flashpoint between the ruling BJP and the opposition led by Rahul Gandhi and others. The opposition accused the government of using its power to target Dalit activists as "anti-national." The government and university administration maintained that the disciplinary action was a purely administrative matter following student violence and was not caste-motivated.
The persistent controversy is why student groups have long demanded a "Rohith Act" legislation specifically designed to protect SC/ST students from institutional harassment, similar to how the POSH Act protects against sexual harassment. Karnataka's move to implement this in its 2026 budget represents the first major legislative fulfillment of that demand.
You can also join our WhatsApp group to get premium and selected news of The Mooknayak on WhatsApp. Click here to join the WhatsApp group.