IIT Bombay student death: Student bodies take out candlelight march in solidarity with family

All India Students’ Association (AISA) and Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students’ Association (BAPSA) along with Lucknow University students took out a candlelight march in solidarity with Darshan Solanki’s family, on the University road in the state capital on Friday. Darshan Solanki, an 18-year-old Dalit student of first year in IIT Bombay, allegedly died by suicide on February 12.

All India Students’ Association (AISA) and Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students’ Association (BAPSA) along with Lucknow University students took out a candlelight march in solidarity with Darshan Solanki’s family, on the University road in the state capital on Friday. Darshan Solanki, an 18-year-old Dalit student of first year in IIT Bombay, allegedly died by suicide on February 12.

(Pic for representation)

“Darshan’s death once again brings to the forefront the discrimination that the Dalit and other marginalised students face in institutions of higher learning. Despite the institutional murder of Rohith Vemula, the government has failed to make educational system inclusive and free of discrimination,” said AISA and BAPSA activists.

Both these student bodies reiterated that there should be a judicial investigation committee in IIT Bombay to conduct an enquiry into the death of Solanki. The Student Wellness Centres (SWCs) in IITs must have counsellors who are sensitized to deal with concerns of students from marginalised backgrounds. Counsellors from SC/ST community need to be appointed in the SWCs, they demanded.