Minister Nayani pronounces Rohith Vemula a non-Dalit

Home Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy on Saturday made a statement in the Telangana assembly during a discussion on the University of Hyderabad (UOH) where he pronounced Rohith Vemula a non-dalit and that the deceased belonged to the Vadera caste. However, the Minister added that the Telangana police who approached Guntur district revenue authorities to ascertain Vemula's caste informed that the matter is under investigation.

Cyberabad police officials too revealed that they received a report from the Guntur collector and are awaiting further clarifications on the matter. The scholar's suicide led to a storm with students staging protest alleging that it was a result of discrimination against dalit students.