Enact Rohith Vemula Act— Rahul Gandhi Urges Karnataka CM to Ensure No Child in India Faces What Ambedkar Endured

New Delhi- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has 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. In a poignant letter dated April 16, Gandhi drew on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s experiences to highlight the ongoing struggles of Dalit, Adivasi, and OBC students.

In his letter, Gandhi referenced two harrowing incidents from Ambedkar’s life: being denied water during a bullock cart journey due to his "untouchable" status and being forced to sit separately in school despite his merit. “It is shameful that millions of students still endure such dehumanizing discrimination,” Gandhi wrote.

Gandhi wrote, " These are the words of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Here he describes an incident during a long bullock cart journey: "There was plenty of food with us. There was hunger burning within us; with all this we were to sleep without food; that was because we could get no water, and we could get no water because we were untouchables." He tells us about his experience in school: "I knew I was an untouchable, and that untouchables were subjected to certain indignities and discriminations. For instance, I knew that in the school I could not sit in the midst of my classmates according to my rank, but that I was to sit in a corner by myself." I know you would agree that what Dr. B.R. Ambedkar faced was shameful and should not be endured by any child in India. It is a shame that even today, millions of students from Dalit, Adivasi and OBC communities have to face such brutal discrimination in our educational system. The murder of bright young people like Rohith Vemula, Payal Tadvi and Darshan Solanki is simply not acceptable. It is time to put a firm end to this. I urge the Karnataka government to enact the Rohith Vemula Act so that no child of India has to face what Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Rohit Vemula and millions of others have had to endure."

Gandhi's letter came after his recent meeting with a delegation of SC-ST-OBC students who apprised him of the discriminatory treatment in campuses.

AIOBCSA welcomes Gandhi's proactive gesture

A delegation of the All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA), led by National President G. Kiran Kumar, along with National Convenor Adv. Pankaj Kumar Kushwaha, National General Secretary Ritu, and National Vice President Pushp Raj, 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.

As a follow-up to the discussion, he has written a letter to the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, urging him to take necessary steps to implement the Rohith Act in the state and uphold constitutional values of equity and justice. AIOBCSA welcomed this proactive gesture by Rahul Gandhi and appealed to all Congress-ruled states to take the lead in implementing the Rohith Act, ensuring a safe, inclusive, and equitable academic environment for students from SC, ST, and OВС communities.