Overview

• N Ramchander Rao, one of the individuals exonerated in the 2016 Rohith Vemula suicide case, was appointed BJP Telangana unit president on July 5, 2025.
• Telangana Police filed a closure report in 2024 giving a clean chit to Rao and other accused after investigating caste-based harassment claims at the University of Hyderabad.
• Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka accused Rao and ABVP affiliates of pressuring university authorities to act against Dalit students, a campaign he said contributed to Vemula’s death.
• AICC SC chief Rajendra Pal Gautam highlighted similar promotions of accused individuals, pointing to ABVP leader Susheel Kumar’s appointment at Delhi University and Bandaru Dattatreya’s governorship.
• Congress figures have called on the BJP to reverse the appointments and issue an unconditional apology to signal accountability for caste-based injustices.