Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao demands apology from Bhatti Vikramarka over Rohith Vemula claim
Telangana BJP
president N Ramchander Rao has demanded an unconditional public apology from deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka for allegedly linking him to the 2016 suicide of University of Hyderabad student Rohith Vemula.
The BJP Telangana unit also issued a statement on X, saying if the deputy chief minister fails to retract his remarks, the party will go ahead with defamation proceedings seeking Rs 25 crore in damages.
The controversy stems from a statement made by Bhatti during a press conference at the AICC headquarters in Delhi last week. Expressing strong objection to Rao's recent appointment as BJP's state president, Bhatti accused him of pressuring police and university authorities in the Vemula case, which he claimed led to the student's expulsion from the hostel and eventual suicide. In response, Rao's legal counsel served a formal notice on Tuesday, demanding a retraction and apology.
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Transferability, the supposed lifeblood of coalition politics, seems to get stuck in traffic whenever a Muslim candidate appears on the ballot. The irony is rich: the most ideologically loyal voters get the least electoral reward. Perhaps parties in Bihar should hold a crash course on coalition basics, or at least invest in stronger vote transfer engines. Because if secular parties don't seriously rethink Muslim representation soon, they may find their minority plank strong in theory, but minority MLAs missing from the seats that count. For years, Muslims in Bihar have voted with hope in their hearts, not for their own caste or narrow interests. Muslims stood by the promises of secularism, cast their vote for alliances and not identity. But when it's time for tickets or seats, they're too often left behind, told quietly that the numbers don't favour them. Their loyalty is rarely doubted, yet they are rarely rewarded by secular parties. Muslims aren't asking for privilege, they are asking just for a fair place at the table. And if their voice keeps getting ignored, the silence they leave behind may one day speak volumes. Aamir Shakil is a political researcher based in Delhi. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
