Activists demand ‘Rohith Act’ to end caste atrocities in educational institutions

Activists under the banner of ‘Campaign for Rohith Act’ hold a demonstration at Freedom Park, Bengaluru, on April 5, 2025.
| Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

A demonstration was held at Freedom Park of Bengaluru on Saturday by students, activists and various progressive organisations to demand that the State government announce steps to bring in the ‘Rohith Act’ to end caste atrocities and discrimination against Dalit and Bahujan students in educational institutions in Karnataka, on or before April 14, 2025.

It began by remembering the legacy of Babu Jagjivan Ram, former Deputy Prime Minister of India.

Addressed the gathering, Mavalli Shankar, State Convenor of Dalit Sangarsha Samiti (DSS), said, “We are seeing how Dalit students are continuously losing their lives in universities. The Prime Minister makes eloquent speeches on equality but does he ever take action against his own friends who are causing these institutional murders?”

“Universities across Karnataka are being saffronised systematically now and are being run undemocratically. Nine public universities are being shut down and the government is saying it has no funds. But the fact is that many students here are marginalised women students who face patriarchal constraints and can’t go anywhere else to study. Don’t we want our women to get educated?,” he asked.

K.P. Ashwini, Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism at UNHRC, said, “People think caste discrimination is a thing of the past. But that’s not true. We are pushing for a separate law because the Prevention of Atrocities Act has no specific guidelines for addressing caste discrimination in higher educational institutions. Before April 14, the state government must at least bring in a committee to discuss the Rohit Act.”