BJP: University saw 9 Dalit suicides under UPA, where was Rahul then?

Author: TNN
Publication: The Times of India
Date: January 31, 2016
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/BJP-University-saw-9-Dalit-suicides-under-UPA-where-was-Rahul-then/articleshow/50790496.cms

Hours after Rahul Gandhi joined the protesting students of the University of Hyderabad for a daylong fast, BJP on Saturday accused the Congress vice-president of using the campus as a political platform for "narrow" partisan interests over the suicide of PhD student Rohith Vemula.

Union minister Venkaiah Naidu said nine cases of Dalit student suicides had taken place on campus during UPA rule but Rahul never bothered to go there. He said the Centre had already set up a judicial commission to probe the incident and asked the opposition to wait for its report.

"Congress is shedding crocodile tears simply to gain political mileage. Congress and Communist parties are trying to make this a political issue and making a beeline to the university, forgetting that nine such incidents happened under UPA. This is part of their anti-Modi campaign across the country," he said.

BJP said the Congress vice-president's protests were just a 'diversionary tactic' by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and other Congress members faced with corruption charges.

BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said, "His (Rahul) protests are nothing but part of Congress conspiracy to defame the Modi government on one pretext or another. UPA was a failure while the BJP regime has been successful on all fronts. Congress is unable to stomach it. Now it has made the university a political theatre for its selfish motives."

Road transport minister Nitin Gadkari accused Rahul of politicising Rohith's suicide and trying to make the UoH campus a "political akhara". "Exams are nearing in the university. All the students are busy with studies. The government has ordered a judicial probe. Peace has been restored. Rahul Gandhiji is politicising the issue. University campus ko rajnitik akhara na banayein(Don't turn the campus into to a political battlefield)," said the minister adding that Rahul could take up any issue of his choice during the upcoming session of Parliament instead of making the university a 'political hub'.