IIT Bombay Student Death: Gujarat Dalit MLA Jignesh Mevani leads candle march in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD : Gujarat Congress MLA and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani on Sunday led a candle march in Maninagar area here seeking "justice" for Darshan Solanki, who died allegedly by suicide on the campus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology Bombay on February 12. Darshan, a first year student, used to live with his parents in Uttamnagar locality of Maninagar.

"After the support I received today, I am confident my son will get justice. My only demand is a Special Investigation Team (SIT) must be formed to probe the reasons which led to my son's death. Representatives of the (Gujarat) government also met me and assured me of justice," the deceased student's father Ramesh Solanki told reporters. The candle march started from Uttamnagar Slum Quarters in Maninagar and ended at Dr B R Ambedkar's statue in Sarangpur. BJP MLA from Maninagar, Amul Bhatt, also joined the march.

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Mevani questioned the Maharashtra government, of which the Bharatiya Janata Party is a part, for not forming an SIT or not registering an FIR in the case till now. "It is a matter of pain the family has to come on roads to make their demands heard. It is equally painful the BJP government in Maharashtra is not ready to form an SIT or register an FIR. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not said anything on this incident. This discrimination against SC, ST and OBC students in educational institutes must end," Mevani told reporters.

According to Bhatt, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will meet the Solanki family at an appropriate time in the coming days. "Darshan was a bright student and we are in constant touch with his family. We are also in favour of a probe. The Gujarat CM has sent a message to the family through us and the family has told us they will meet the CM after completion of some rituals," said Bhatt.