KCR didn't respond to my call on Rohit's suicide: Smriti Irani

Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani has alleged that Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao did not respond to her calls on day when HCU research scholar Rohit Vemula committed suicide.

Making a statement in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the Union Minister said Rohit's dead body was not allowed to be taken to a hospital from the premises of Hyderabad Central University. This was done only to play politics over the dead body, she alleged. “I made a call to KCR but I was told that he is busy. I even called up his daughter and MP Kavitha” she said.

On this, TRS MP Jitendar Reddy countered stating that the Chief Minister has ordered a probe and also sought details from Intelligence Chief Shivdhar Reddy. He said that the Telangana Police have already registered a case in this regard.

Stating that she was moved by the death of Rohit Vemula, Smriti Irani said she was in receipt of letters from several MPs including V. Hanumantha Rao, Asaduddin Owaisi and Union Labour Bandaru Dattatraya seeking justice on Rohit Vemula's issues.

The Union Minister also accused Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi of playing politics over Rohit's dead body. "Rahul Gandhi had no time to visit a single family of over 600 students who ended their lives for the cause of Telangana statehood. He never visited any other house whose sons or daughters have committed suicide. But he went to HCU, consoled Rohit’s family and even staged dharna with them” she said.