On the first anniversary of Rohith Vemula’s institutional murder, AISA gave a call for National Protest Day to observed throughout the country and undertake Insaaf March (justice March) demanding justice for Rohith and also to protest against the institutional push outs of Rohiths and Najeebs.
Sankalp Sabha in Gorakhpur
RYA and Shaheed Bhagat Singh-Ambedkar Manch organized a Sankalp Sabha at the Press Club in Grakhpur to mark the first anniversary of Rohith Vemula’s institutional murder. Prof Chandrabhushan Ankur and other intellectuals and leaders spoke at the meeting. The speakers said that the struggle for social change is a long and difficult struggle, and we must carry forward Rohith’s struggle and enhance it by organizing dalits and weaker sections. The RSS and their stooges are bent on ending reservation in higher education institutions, and we must unite and fight to protect the rights secured through long and hard struggles. The speakers said that the BJP and the Modi government are trying to usurp icons like Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh but the people will not be fooled by their lies and pretenses. The speakers included leaders from the Buddhist Society of India, Purvanchal Sena, teachers, research students and college students. They said that working for the annihilation of caste would be the true and best tribute to the memory of Rohith Vemula.
Bihar
AISA, RYA and AIPWA jointly took out a justice march in Bhagalpur on 17 January 2017, protested in front of the DM, held talks with him and submitted a memorandum with their demands. The march went through the main roads of the city and culminated in a meeting in front of the DM’s office. Slogans raised during the march demanded the Rohith Act, finding Najeeb and punishing his wrongdoers, justice for Dika, social justice and equality, and other demands.
Speakers at the protest meeting in front of the DM’s office said that the Nitish government claims to champion social justice but under this government attacks on dalits, mahadalits, women and students have increased all over Bihar. The morale of criminals is on the rise. At the same time, with the Modi government in power at the centre, organized attacks by ABVP and RSS goons are also on the rise. Rohiths and Najeebs are being targeted in colleges and Universities. They said that the true tribute to Rohith would be to organize students and youth and fight against these casteist and fascist attacks.
In Ara, AISA activists carried out protest march demanding justice for Rohith, Najeeb and Dika. They raised the slogans of “We are Rohith, We are Najeeb and We are Rohith”. The protestors also demanded that enactment of Rohith Act to ensure an end discriminatory practices against SC/ST/OBC students in campuses. The self-claimed government of social justice responded to the demands for justice by filing FIR against 8 student leaders of AISA and nameless FIRs against 100s of other participants, most coming from Dalit, Mahadalit and minority communities.
Insaaf marches were also organized Begusarai, Samastipur, Gopalganj, Saharsa, Siwan, Patna, Buxar and Darbhanga.
