Arvind Kejriwal offers clerical job to Rohith Vemula’s M.Sc degree holder brother

During his meeting with Rohith Vemula’s mother in Delhi on February 24, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had vowed to offer an “appropriate” job to Raja Vemula.

File photo of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal along with Rohith Vemula’s mother Radhika and brother during a protest rally at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

Hyderabad/New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi has, on “compassionate grounds”, offered a clerical job to the brother of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula who had committed suicide on the campus of Hyderabad Central University in January.

Raja is a Masters degree holder in applied geology from Pondicherry Central University with 72.8 percent marks.

Kejriwal's offer for the post of lower division clerk, a Grade-4 position, has been criticised by students and teachers at Hyderabad university as “insulting”.

Raja has, however, not decided whether to accept the job.

During his meeting with Rohith’s mother in Delhi on February 24, the Delhi Chief Minister had vowed to offer an “appropriate” job to Raja.

As per Delhi government officials, only Group C and D jobs (clerical level) can be offered on compassionate grounds.

“When the family had come to Delhi, they had asked for a job for Rohith’s brother and had expressed a desire to move to Delhi. We have offered them a house. As per rules, only this is possible without going through the regular recruitment process. The aim is to help the family tide over financial distress,” Hindustan Times quoted a Delhi government official as saying.

Notably, Raja does not only hold the MSc degree but has also cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET).

Those who are part of the campaign seeking justice for Rohith said Kejriwal's offer is an insult to the qualifications of Raja.

Rohith, a PhD student, committed suicide by hanging himself in his friend's hostel room on January 17, triggering protests on the campus and also in other universities in different parts of the country to demand action against those involved in suspension of the students and subjecting them to social boycott.