I know the pain of losing a son: Rohith Vemula's mother offers condolences to BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya on son's death

There had been allegations that disciplinary action against Rohith and other Dalit students was taken at the behest of the then Union labour minister Dattatreya.

NEW DELHI: Radhika Vemula, mother of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula who committed suicide in 2016, offered her condolences to former Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya after his 21-year-old son died of cardiac arrest. 

"My deepest condolences to Mr Bandaru Dattatreya and family from the bottom of My Heart. As I know the pain when someone lost their son, I hope you will be fine. Sorry for your loss. Jai Bhim," she said in a Facebook post. 

Rohith Vemula, a PhD scholar at the University of Hyderabad, had hanged himself in his hostel room on the campus on January 17, 2016 as he was allegedly upset over the disciplinary action taken against him by the varsity. 

There had been allegations that the extreme action was a result of discrimination against Dalit students at the behest of the then Union labour minister Dattatreya. It was also alleged that the BJP leader had written a letter to the Education Ministry, seeking action against the Dalit students' "anti-national" acts.

Dattatreya had also been named as a prime accused in the case of abetment to suicide. However, a report of the one-man judicial commission under former Allahabad High Court judge Justice AK Roopanwal had given a clean chit to the BJP leader.

Former Union Minister and BJP MP Bandaru Dattatreya's 21-year-old son died late on Tuesday night following a sudden cardiac arrest. A student of MBBS third year, Vyshnav suddenly collapsed while having dinner.

His sister and brother-in-law, who are doctors, rushed him to a nearby private hospital while giving him first aid in the car. The doctors tried to revive him by putting him on ventilator and taking other measures, but he could not be rescued.

HIs funeral took place at a crematorium in Saidabad on Wednesday. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Minister Santosh Gangwar attended the funeral. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu spoke to Dattatreya and extended his condolences.