New Delhi: After facing scathing criticism from various political parties over the death of 26-year-old Dalit Research Scholar Rohith Vemula of Hyderabad University, HRD Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday said that the death of the Dalit Research students was not caste issue.

In a press conference, Irani said that she has been saddened by the death of Vemula.

“Being a mother and a minister, I am very upset with the death of Rohith Vermula. Police has started investigating the matter. In the past, HRD Ministry received several complaints about the Hyderabad University. Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya was not the only MP to raise his concern into the matter. Congress leader Hanumant Rai wrote several times demanding probe into increasing number of Dalit student’s suicide in Hyderabad University,” she said asserting that she had not pressurised the VC to take action against the Dalit students.

Defending Dattatreya, she said that Rohith’s suicide note did not name any minister or organisation.

Rohith Vermula was a second year PhD student and was highly involved in student politics. He was one of the five Dalit students who was suspended from the Hyderabad University in August last year for being involved in a clash with an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) leader. In early January, Rohith, along with five other Dalits was evicted from his hostel and since then they were sleeping in open in campus. Frustrated with his expulsion from the University, he committed suicide on January 17.