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Dalit student who raised slogans against Narendra Modi evicted from guesthouse
The case is seen as repeat to the HCU scholar Rohith Vemula's ouster from the hostel after the varsity administration found him guilty of involved in the 'anti-national' activities and imposed a 'social boycott'
Lucknow, January 23: Protesting and raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University on Friday cost Ram Karan Nirmal an ouster from the varsity hostel. Not only that he along with his colleague Amrendra Kumar Arya were booked under under Section 151 (disturbance of public peace) of the Indian Penal Code and were sent to preventive custody. But after a few hours, they were released on filling a personal bond.
The case is seen as repeat to the Hyderabad Central University scholar Rohith Vemula’s ouster from the hostel after the varsity administration found him guilty of involved in the ‘anti-national’ activities and imposed a ‘social boycott’. The two students — Ram Karan Nirmal and Amrendra Kumar Arya — had chanted slogans “Modi, go back”, “Modi Murdabad”, “Inquilab zindabad, Phule Ambedkar zindabad” during the convocation ceremony of the university where Modi was invited as the chief guest. (ALSO READ: Rohith Vemula suicide follows political circus: Why only Dalits, OBCs, Muslims entitled to ‘secular’ sympathy?)
Speaking to Hindu, Nirmal and Arya said that whatever the accusations have been imposed on them are wrong and curtail the right to freedom of expression. They also said they are proud of their act and would repeat this thing once again if the opportunity comes. Nirmal said, “I voiced my dissent. For that I was evicted from the Siddhartha Boys’ Hostel of the university and my boarding for the night cancelled even though my room was booked for two days. We had deposited Rs. 200 for the boarding.” (ALSO READ: Rohith Vemula suicide: Scratched off para of last letter gives new twist, leaves questions behind)
While Arya said, “We feel like responsible citizens who have the right to dissent. If given a chance we will do it again.” Both the duo are of the opinion that they initiated the protest because they could not bear the injustice and the silence towards the death of Rohith Vemula. Nirmal belongs from Dalit community — a Dhobi — and is the son of a farmer from Kaushambi, while Arya is a Jatav, whose father is a retired gram panchayat secretary hailing from Sant Kabir Nagar. Along with the duo, the third student from Mirzapur, Surendra Nigam — a Pasi — has been set free with no charges.
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