Union Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla today expressed regret over the alleged suicide of a Dalit student at the Hyderabad Central University, saying such incidents should not happen and the reasons that led him to take the extreme step must be found out.
"I do not know the details. I read about it in the flight and I cannot react on it more than that I regret what has happened. What led the youth to take such a step will be found out by the people there who are trying to find out the reason.
"Such incidents should not happen. We want to provide a good future to our children and we are making endeavours on that front. We do not want such incidents to happen. I sympathise with his parents and it has to be found out as to why this incident happened," Heptulla told reporters here on the sidelines of a function.
The Union minister said the government does not differentiate the people on the basis of caste, creed or religion and children should only be seen as children.
"We should not divide the children in terms of upper caste, lower caste or Dalits. Our country has seen enough division. We should see the children as they are only as children our heart bleeds for all, not just for minority, and it does not differentiate on the basis of caste, creed or religion," she said.
Heptullah, who yesterday called on PDP president Mehbooba Mufti at her residence in Gupkar, said the meeting was apolitical and government formation in the state was not discussed.
"I had known Mufti sahib personally and had worked with him. I had been with him, with the party, in Jammu and Kashmir since 1986. It was my duty to offer condolences on his demise, so I went to his residence.
"And you all know that when we go to someone's home for offering condolences, we do not eat anything there or talk about other things." she said.
"Neither I talked to her (Mehbooba) on this nor was there any mention (of politics). I only offered my condolences to her and talked about those aspects of Mufti sahib's life which I know of," the Union minister said.
Rohith Vemula, who committed suicide on Sunday night, was among the five research scholars who were suspended by the Hyderabad Central University in August last year and also one of the accused in the case of assault on a student leader. They were also kept out of the hostel.
The incident has triggered protests by students in many parts of the country.
