Radhika Vemula, the mother of University of Hyderabad (UoH) research scholar Rohith Vemula, has lashed out at the BJP for its 'blatant lies' over the ongoing row on the promises made by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) to Rohith's family.
TNM had reported earlier this week that a leader of the Indian Union Muslim League had promised Radhika Vemula that they would sanction Rs 20 lakh towards building a house for the family, shortly after Rohith's death, but was yet to fulfill the same.
After TNM first published the story, the issue has been spun by different groups in primarily two ways:
1. That Radhika Vemula was given money to speak against BJP.
2. That she denied that IUML owed her any money, and that TNM’s report was false.
"The Indian Union Muslim League made fake promises to provide them Rs 20 lakh and asked them (Rohith Vemula's family) to address their rallies and misrepresent the unfortunate incident and then not completed that promise. This is condemnable," Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday.
TNM reached out to Radhika Vemula once again and asked her about the reactions to her statement.
On the BJP’s claim that the IUML had paid Rohith's family to address their rallies, Radhika said:
“The things that BJP said are outright lies. I condemn this -- what is this about every party using me? Many have helped me. I have met all parties against the BJP for justice for my son. Everyone has helped me. However, this allegation that they have given me money and asked me to speak is a lie.”
“Why will I speak if they give me money?” she asked. “Does this Dalit woman look like she is someone who speaks after taking money? We have self-respect and I definitely have self-respect. I don't have the need to take money and talk against anyone. I won't take (money). I don't need to take money to fight the BJP. I lost my son. Modi and his cabinet Ministers killed my 25-year-old. I'm speaking because they killed my son. I will go anywhere to fight against the BJP and speak whatever I feel inside me. I'm furious with them. Even if they kill me, I will continue talking against the BJP,” she said.
BJP and RSS have a 'Manuvadi' mindset and speak in this way wherever Dalits and Muslims are concerned, Radhika Vemula said. “The whole world knows what they speak is false and outright lies," she added.
Does she stick to her stand that the IUML leader had not kept his promise?
“There is nothing wrong in what I said earlier. I stand by what I said,” she asserted.
She said that the IUML reached out to them after TNM’s story. “They spoke to me. What they said was that they will always be with me and that they will fulfill the promise. They asked us to return the cheque that did not get cashed and said that they will send another cheque. They are also ready to give the remaining Rs 10 lakh for property. They will send the money. We told them that the property is ready and that's the reason they sent the Rs 5 lakh as advance,” she said.
She pointed out that she had issues with certain people in the IUML and not the party itself. “I never said that Muslim League is bad. Did I ever say that party is wrong? I didn't say that anywhere. There were some members in Muslim League who are misusing me. There are a few people like that, and I spoke about them, but the party is great. The party has great ideals which I respect. The respect is mutual. They respect us because I am Rohith's mother and Rohith's family. There is no differences of opinion between us. These people are creating it,” she said.
She also said that she was deeply pained by allegations doing the rounds on social media.