Latest news with #Vikramarka
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Special development plan in works for Adilabad: Deputy CM Bhatti
ADILABAD: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Sunday said the state government is considering a special development programme for Adilabad district and will soon take up the long-pending Babasaheb Ambedkar Pranahita-Chevella project. Speaking after inaugurating a 30-bed community health centre at Luxettipet along with ministers C Damodar Rajanarsimha, D Sridhar Babu and Jupally Krishna Rao, Vikramarka said the Congress government is prioritising health and education. Built at a cost of Rs 8.5 crore, with a Rs 1 crore contribution from SCCL, the hospital aims to provide better medical care to the poor. Government colleges and high schools in all mandals will be upgraded with CSR and DMFT funds, he added. The deputy CM also laid the foundation stone for the Indira Mahila Shakti Solar Plant at Rebenapalli and announced another plant in Andugulapeta at Rs 3 crore, to be developed with 90% bank loan and 10% community share. These plants are expected to generate 4,500–5,000 units per day and earn Rs 51 lakh annually. The government is promoting micro-industries for women in every Assembly segment and encouraging solar power production by women's SHGs. In Mancherial, Rs 80 crore in bank linkage loans was distributed to 863 SHGs. Eight members also received insurance payouts of Rs 10 lakh each. An industrial park is coming up on 212 acres in Hazipur mandal to create jobs for 2,000 youths. Vikramarka criticised the BRS government for ignoring interest-free loans to women. 'When we said we'd make one crore women crorepatis, some mocked us. But in the first year, we've already distributed `21,600 crore in loans,' he said. Under the Aam Aadmi Bima Scheme, women's groups leased 150 buses to RTC, with 450 more to follow. He said the Congress is delivering on its promises and reaffirmed the government's commitment to developing Adilabad and Mancherial districts.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
BJP rewarding people responsible for Rohith Vemula's death: Dy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka
HYDERABAD: Accusing the BJP of rewarding individuals allegedly linked to the institutional harassment that led to the death of University of Hyderabad scholar Rohith Vemula, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Friday demanded that the saffron party tender an apology for its decision. Addressing the media at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in New Delhi, Vikramarka, joined by AICC Scheduled Castes Department chairman Rajendra Pal Gautam, condemned the recent appointment of N Ramchander Rao as the state BJP chief. He alleged that Ramchander was among those who pressured university authorities leading to Rohith Vemula's suicide in 2016. 'Instead of doing some introspection, the BJP is elevating those who drove Rohith Vemula to suicide,' he said. 'Rohith Vemula Act soon' Vikramarka further revealed that the Telangana government would soon introduce a 'Rohith Vemula Act' aimed at safeguarding students, especially those from Dalit and Adivasi communities, from discrimination in educational institutions. He blamed the ABVP for inciting tensions on campus. 'When the Ambedkar Students Association was peacefully protesting for student rights, ABVP leader Susheel Kumar labelled them anti-national. The BJP leaders at the Centre, along with pressure from the then HRD Ministry and MLC N Ramchander Rao, influenced the university to suspend Rohith. Left with no choice, he took his life,' he claimed. 'Ramchander Rao has been made the state BJP president, and Susheel Kumar has been appointed as an assistant professor in Delhi University. What message is the BJP sending?' he wondered.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Congress: New Telangana BJP chief rewarded for Vemula 'murder'
Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka (ANI photo) NEW DELHI: Congress Friday lashed out at BJP for appointing N Ramchander Rao as its Telangana president, asking if the party has rewarded him for "his leading role" in the "institutional murder" of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in 2016. Congress demanded BJP withdraw the appointment and apologise to the country. Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu said Rao had taken "goons" to Hyderabad University and forced authorities to file a false case against Vemula, leading to harassment that ended with his suicide. Same time, Vikramarka said BJP has appointed M Susheel Kumar, who as a key ABVP member was allegedly involved in Vemula's harassment, as assistant professor in DU. Vikramarka also announced Congress govt had moved HC seeking a directive to reopen the Vemula case. The move comes nearly three months after Rahul Gandhi asked CM Revanth Reddy to enact a law against caste discrimination named after Vemula.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Rohith Vemula suicide case to be reopened, Telangana deputy CM says
The Telangana government has filed a legal note to reopen the Rohith Vemula suicide case, state's deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said. 'We have already filed a note in the High Court asking the court to give direction to reopen the case. And we will not leave anybody involved in the case,' Vikramarka said. He was speaking in a press meet held at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office in New Delhi on the appointment of Ramchander Rao as Telangana BJP president. Rao, an MLC then, was one of the accused named in the Rohith Vemula suicide case. 'It (the appointment) shows that whoever goes against Adivasis and whoever goes against Dalits will be rewarded by the BJP,' Vikramarka alleged. 'The BJP has to apologise to the nation. Is targeting Dalits the qualification for you (BJP) to appoint as president,' he sought to know. Rohith Vemula, who identified as a Dalit, a research scholar in University of Hyderabad, died by suicide 2016, leadings to country-wide protests against caste discrimination in higher educational institutions. Shortly after his demise, a case of abetment of suicide and charges under Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, was filed against the then Vice Chancellor Apparao Podile, then Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya, then MLC N Ramchander Rao, and then university students Krishna Chaitanya, N Susheel Kumar and N Diwakar. Eight years after his demise, in May 2024, Telangana police filed a closure report in the case absolving all the accused in the case. The closure report also said that Rohith Vemula was not a Dalit but an OBC. The deputy chief minister also said that on the call given by Rahul Gandhi, Telangana government will enact Rohith Vemula Act meant to curb discrimination in educational institutions. 'We are on the job and we have given it to the legal department to vet it properly and thoroughly so that it will not face any sort of (legal) challenge in the future,' Vikramarka said. Calling Rohith Vemula's suicide an institutional murder, Vikramarka added, 'A youngster, who had reached the level of PhD… A youngster who had dreams of living and leading a colourful life had gone to the extent of taking a decision of ending his life. Just think, why are these kinds of things driving them to take the extreme step? Is it not an institutional murder?'
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
BJP should apologise to people for appointing Vemula suicide accused as its Telangana chief: Congress
The Congress on Friday (July 11, 2025) urged the BJP to rethink the appointment of Ramchander Rao as its new Telangana unit chief since he was among the accused in the 2016 Rohith Vemula suicide case. Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said Mr. Rao's elevation had 'once again proved that whoever goes against the Dalits and Adivasis will be rewarded by the BJP'. Police's clean chit Rohith Vemula, a PhD student at the University of Hyderabad, had committed suicide over alleged caste discrimination. Last year, the Telangana Police had filed a closure report in court, giving a clean chit to all the accused, including Mr. Rao, who took over as the BJP State unit chief last Saturday (July 5, 2025). Mr. Vikramarka said there should not only be a rethink on such appointments but the BJP should unconditionally apologise to the country. He said Rohit Vemula's suicide had shaken the conscience of the country and forced people to reflect on what was happening under the BJP rule. 'He was a PhD scholar and was an active member of the Ambedkar Students' Association (ASA). For the discrimination he was facing, he, along with a few friends, thought they would bring the issues to the attention of the university for the cause of self-respect and social justice for Dalits. When he [Vemula] was fighting for these causes, the student wing leader of the BJP, Susheel Kumar, filed a false case and brought a lot of pressure on the university authorities to book and rusticate the boys and shame them, and finally this led to the death of Rohith,' he alleged. Then, BJP MLC Ramchander Rao came along with his 'goons, did a dharna, met the Vice-Chancellor, and forced the authorities to take action against the ASA students, filing a false case too,' Mr. Vikramarka further alleged, adding that 'such pressure ultimately led Rohith to take his life'. The Telangana Deputy Chief Minister also claimed that Mr. Kumar, who was an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) leader, has been appointed assistant professor at the University of Delhi. 'My appeal to all people is to think deeply about what's happening in this country. The basic duty of the government should be to protect the lives, dignity and self-respect of every citizen of the nation,' Mr. Vikramarka said, adding, 'What has been alarming is that the BJP is not just going against the Constitution; they are giving calls to change it.'
