Mangaluru : Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA) President Prof Narendra Nayak said filing sedition cases against some students in Hyderabad Central University is an act of vested interests.

Addressing a protest organised against the death of a PhD scholar Rohith Vemula at Hyderabad Central University, staged by SFI, DYFI, DSS and other organisations in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office here on Wednesday, he said a complaint was filed against the students for conducting programmes opposing superstitions.

Nayak said meritorious students, belonging to Dalit communities, in higher education institutions, are being insulted, after the BJP-led government came to power at the Centre.

This is the hidden agenda of the Sangh Parivar, Nayak alleged and added that ABVP has been executing the plan. The Congressmen are staging the drama of consoling the students, he criticised. He urged the government to conduct an investigation into Rohith’s death case. Rohith took the extreme decision only because of the caste and communal issues at the university, he claimed.

He said he has witnessed the atrocities against the students belonging to backward classes in Hyderabad University, when he had been there to deliver a lecture. So far, 23 students have committed suicide at the university. The caste-based discrimination is also prevalent in IIT, IIM and other institutions and this discrimination is a part of the conspiracy to expel Dalit and backward community students from higher education institutes, he charged.

Thinker Prof Bhoomigowda said people belonging to upper castes have been cheating the people of backward classes.

“Pejawar mutt seer has said the Dalits and other backward community people can take oath for salvation. But, Dalits do not need salvation after death. All that they need is equality and justice when they are living,” he said.

Dalit Sangharsh Samithi senior leader M Devaraj, PUCL leader P B D’Sa, DYFI State Committee President Munir Katipalla, Karnataka Dalit Rights’ Committee District Convenor Lingappa Nanthoor and others addressed the protesters.