Political blame game in Haryana after Dalit student’s suicide. ‘Harassed, barred from exam over fees’

Gurugram: The suicide of a 22-year-old Dalit BA final-year student from the Fartia Bhima village in the Bhiwani district has sparked a political row in Haryana, with the Opposition and ruling BJP trading charges.

Story by Sushil Manav, (Edited by Madhurita Goswami)

The woman, a student at a private college, allegedly ended her life after being denied permission to appear in her fifth-semester exams due to unpaid fees amounting to Rs 35,000.

According to the complaint filed by her father against the college authorities, the family requested more time to pay the fees but was met with rejection. He also said that a college official’s son, Rahul, was harassing his daughter by calling her on the phone and asking her to accompany him to places.

On 24 December night, the woman reportedly hanged herself from the ceiling fan in her home. Her family cremated her the following day. The father lodged his complaint on 27 December, saying that the immense pressure and humiliation his daughter faced was the cause behind her suicide.

On the same day, the police registered an FIR under sections 108 of the BNS (abetment of suicide) and 3 (5) of the BNS (common intention).

The FIR named a college management committee member, Hanuman, and his son, Rahul, while also pointing fingers at Hanuman’s daughter and the college principal, who have not been named.

According to the complaint, on 24 December around 9 pm, Rahul allegedly called the woman incessantly, leading to her suicide. “Hanuman, who manages the college, was aware of these matters and was complicit in them. I humbly request you to take strict action against these individuals and provide us with justice so that my daughter’s soul may rest in peace,” the father said in the complaint.

He added: “I begged the college to allow her to sit for the exams, promising to pay the dues soon. They refused, and she was heartbroken. This humiliation pushed her to take this extreme step.”

The Bhiwani police have registered a case against four individuals—the college owner, his son, his daughter, and the principal under charges of abetment to suicide.

The incident has ignited protests across the Loharu subdivision, with Dalit organisations and student unions demanding strict action against the college and financial support for the family.

On Monday, protesters in Singhani village blocked roads and raised slogans against caste-based discrimination and the commercialisation of the education system.

Jitender Kumar, the station house officer of the Loharu police station, where the FIR was lodged, said that the police were investigating the case but have, so far, made no arrest.

ThePrint called Loharu MLA Rajbir Fartia on his mobile phone, but the calls went unanswered.

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‘Is education now determined by money and caste?’

The incident has triggered a political row. Congress leaders Kumari Selja and Randeep Surjewala Tuesday lashed out at the BJP-led Haryana government, accusing it of neglecting marginalised communities and not ensuring their equal access to education.

Kumari Selja, a prominent Dalit leader, said, “This is not just a tragedy but a glaring example of the systemic discrimination faced by Dalits in Haryana. Denying a student her right to education due to unpaid fees shows the state’s apathy towards the underprivileged.”

In a post on X Tuesday, Kumari Selja wrote, “A talented daughter of Haryana, Diksha, ended her life because she was not allowed to appear for her exams. Her only fault was that she was poor and belonged to a Dalit family. Is education now determined by money and caste?”

Randeep Surjewala also criticised the state government, calling it a “failure of governance.” He said, “Education is a right, not a privilege for the rich. The BJP’s policies have widened the gap between the haves and have-nots.”

“The preamble of our Constitution talks about equality, liberty, fraternity and justice. But it is sad that in Haryana, a Dalit girl has to commit suicide due to not being able to pay the examination fees. This incident is not only sad but also extremely shameful. The victim’s family should get justice, and this case should be thoroughly investigated,” Surjewala posted on X Tuesday, with a news clipping of the woman’s death.

On the other hand, Haryana BJP hit out at the Congress leader by posting a video on its official X handle, with the heading “The anti-Dalit face of Congress exposed again”, claiming that the Opposition party’s MLA Rajbir Fartiya was the chairman of the college and Rahul who stands accused of harassing the woman was the MLA’s brother-in-law Hanuman’s son.

Speaking to the media at Chandigarh on Tuesday, Haryana Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Krishan Bedi said swift action was underway against those responsible for the suicide of a Scheduled Caste student in Loharu.

Referring to the allegations of mental and physical harassment filed by the woman’s father against the college principal and his brother, Bedi said the government stands firm with the victim’s family and is committed to ensuring justice.

Bedi criticised the tweets by the Congress leaders as “half-hearted” expressions of concern. He urged the leaders to focus on demanding justice for the victim rather than indirectly shielding the accused.

“Instead of using social media for political mileage, they should press for strict action against those responsible. By making incomplete statements, they are sending a wrong message,” he said.

Bedi also questioned why Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, remained silent during the Mirchpur caste violence. He suggested Hooda address the role of his party’s MLA in the current case.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Dalip Kumar, who is heading the Special Investigating Team (SIT) constituted by SP Nitish Agarwal, Wednesday told media in a press conference at Bhiwani that the police had arrested Rahul (25) from his village, Sham Kalan.

“Initial investigations have revealed that he was calling the victim regularly, and even minutes before the girl committed suicide, Rahul had called her,” the DSP said.

He said the MLA’s name has not appeared in the investigation so far.

Courtesy : MSN

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