Bangalore: A massive all organisation Protest was held at Bangalore on 19 January demanding justice for Rohith Vemula. The protestors demanded immediate Resignation of HRD Minister Smriti Irani, MoS Labour Bandaru Dattatreya and the Vice Chancellor of HCU, Revoking of expulsion of 4 Dalit Students and Judicial Inquiry into the casteist attack on dalit students by HCU administration and ABVP. The protestors shouted slogans against Brahmanism, against fascist attacks on University students and growing intolerance to the voices of dissent. AISA students from Bangalore University and various other colleges led by state president Com. Maruthi participated in the demonstration. On 26 January, AISA organized a convention on this issue. The convention was addressed by Com. Balan, state president of AICCTU, Raghupati from CPI(ML) and Rangaswamy, who is a lecturer.
Uttar Pradesh: CPI(ML) had called for state wide protests from 20 to 24 January. A protest march was taken out on 23 January in Lucknow from Parivartan Chowk to Hazratganj Chowraha. CPI(ML), CPI(M), CPI and some other organizations participated in the march. The meeting held near the Ambedkar statue was addressed by critic Virendra Yadav, IPTA General Secretary Rakesh, Jan Sanskriti Manch State President Kaushal Kishore, Janvadi Lekhak Sangh Secretary Nalin Ranjan Singh, CPI(ML) district in-charge Ramesh Singh Sengar, CPI’s Mohd Khalid, CPI(M) leader Prashant Singh, AIPWA State President Tahira Hasan, and AIDWA leader Rupa Singh. One day earlier on 22 January the protest of the students in the presence of PM Modi during the convocation ceremony at Ambedkar University, Lucknow, was an expression of the countrywide anger and outrage. Condemning the arrest of the students who protested against Modi, the speakers demanded the withdrawal of all cases registered against those students. The programme was conducted by Rajeev Kumar of the CPI(ML).
In Varanasi a march was taken out on 25 January from Ambedkar square culminating at the Collector’s office, in which hundreds of protesters participated. On the same day the CPI(ML) held dharnas in Kanpur at Ram Asre Park and in Ballia at the district Collector’s office. In Gorakhpur the CPI(ML) along with Jan Sanskriti Manch took out a march on 20 January. In Mau HRD Minister Smriti Irani’s effigy was burnt on 20 January. On 24 January protests were held in Suriyawan (Bhadohi), Robertsganj (Sonbhadra), and Lalganj, Madihan, Ahirora and Jamalpur blocks in Mirzapur.
