Bengaluru: A coalition of civil society groups, student unions, academics and lawyers under the banner Campaign for Rohith Act has urged the Karnataka government to immediately release the draft of the proposed Rohith Vemula Act for public consultation and commit to a clear timeline for its enactment.
The campaign has alleged that higher educational institutions are increasingly becoming hostile spaces for Dalit and Adivasi students, leading to rising dropouts and instances of suicides. It claimed that despite constitutional guarantees and reservations, many SC/ST students continue to face humiliation, exclusion and systemic discrimination within campuses.
The group expressed concern that existing legal safeguards, including the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the UGC Equity Regulations, 2026, have not adequately addressed caste-based discrimination in higher education.
The demand for a dedicated law gained momentum after senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called for such legislation, following which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah publicly assured in April 2025 that Karnataka would enact a Rohith Vemula Act. The Congress had also promised the legislation in its 2024 election manifesto.
According to the campaign, a model Bill was drafted after extensive consultations with student organisations, teachers and legal experts and was submitted to Minister Priyank Kharge in December 2025. Subsequent discussions were held with Law Minister H. K. Patil and Higher Education Minister M. C. Sudhakar, and the government reportedly accepted the draft with minor revisions.
On January 17, 2026, Rahul Gandhi stated that the state was in the process of implementing the Act. However, the draft has not yet been made public, nor has a legislative schedule been announced, prompting concern among SC/ST students across the state.
The Campaign has now demanded at the press meet held at press club of bengaluru, under the Leadership of Mavalli Shankar DSS leader,Basavaraj kowthal, Hulikunte Murthy,Vinay Shrinivas,Lekha,Ashna Singh and Rahul is, immediate release of the draft Bill, a clear timeline for its introduction in the Assembly, and its passage during the Budget Session of 2026, calling it a crucial step toward ensuring dignity, equality and justice in Karnataka’s universities and colleges.
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