A people’s tribunal will be held on the recent police action in the University of Hyderabad (UoH) and the alleged existence of caste discrimination within, at the National Cement Bhawan, Gachibowli, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on April 16.
The students who were suspended along with Rohith Vemula, the dalit scholar who committed suicide in January, would be called to depose before the tribunal headed by retired Madras High Court judge K. Chandru, who would be accompanied by retired academics Ghanshyam Shah, and G. G. Wankhede from JNU and TISS respectively.
Also called for appearance were heads of the respective committees which inquired into the earlier suicides by dalit scholars Senthil Kumar, Raju Pulyala and Madari Venkatesh in UoH, besides Commissioner of Police C. V. Anand and UoH registrar, said A. Suneetha at a press conference here on Tuesday, representing the Forum for Social Justice, the confederation of various civil society organisations and individuals which is organising the tribunal.
More than 20 students and faculty members would depose before the tribunal, K. Sajaya, another social activist, said.
Addressing the press meet, eminent nutritionist and social activist Veena Shatrugna said students belonging to SC, ST, and OBC sections, having no support to fall back on in the universities, were compelled to appeal to the same person who acted against them. She said there was need for an unbiased appellate authority. Rama Melkote, another academician, said UGC directives in respect to such issues, were not paid heed to by universities.
The tribunal would examine the existing grievance redress systems to prevent caste discrimination, appeal provisions for the same and existing guidelines and protocols for entry and deployment of police in the university, before recommending protocols to enable marginalised students to enjoy the academic, political and social space of the university, a statement from the Forum for Social Justice said.
