The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on January 18. THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expresses its deep anguish at the suicide of a dalit student, Vemula Rohit, in the Central University of Hyderabad. The five dalit students were on indefinite hunger strike protesting against the newly-appointed vice chancellor’s decision to rusticate them from the hostels of the University. Following an alleged altercation between the RSS student wing – ABVP – and the Ambedkar Students Union, an enquiry was conducted by the University and the incident appeared to have been settled. The newly-appointed vice chancellor, allegedly, under pressure from the minister of the union cabinet belonging to Hyderabad and the consequent direction by the Human Resources Development ministry, had taken this action of suspension from the hostels. The hunger strike was a protest against this action by the vice chancellor. Under these circumstances, the Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) condemns the vice chancellor’s motivated decision that led to this suicide and demands that the vice chancellor be booked under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act immediately. The central government must conduct a thorough enquiry into this incident in this prestigious central university that was established by law by the parliament of India.