Mother India has lost a son, I feel the pain: PM Modi on Rohith's suicide

Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday broke his silence on the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula saying the country has "lost a son" and that "he felt the pain".

Modi expressed his grief over the Dalit scholar's death in a convocation ceremony at the BR Ambedkar University in Lucknow which was marred by slogan-shouting by a handful of student protesters.

The students shouted slogans like "Modi murdabad" and "Modi go back"as the PM began his speech, but were soon evicted by police.

Modi used the function to reach out to the Dalit community, six days after protests broke out across the country over Rohith's death.

26-year old Rohith Vemula was found hanging at a hostel in the Hyderabad Central University, weeks after he and five other Dalit students were suspended from the facility for allegedly attacking an ABVP activist. Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya, who recommended action against them, and HRD minister Smriti Irani whose officials followed it up with the varsity, are under fire from protesters.

Here are excerpts from Modi's emotional speech at BR Ambedkar University.

Expresses grief: When there is news that a youth of my country, Rohith, was forced to commit suicide, what his family must have gone through. Mother India has lost a son. There will be reasons, there will be politics (surrounding it) but the fact remains that a mother has lost her son. I feel the pain very well,"

Quotes Ambedkar: "We want to take this country in a direction where there is new enthusiasm and self confidence. We are making relentless effort to take the country in the direction of Ambedkar's dream,"

Learn from Ambedkar: "He did not waste time in complaining and lamenting. He did not seek anything from others. He instead took on the adversities and overcame all obstacles,"

Ambedkar's dreams and private sector: "For fulfilling the dreams of Ambedkar, private sector is important and my definition of private sector is different and that is how every individual can stand on his own feet."

( With PTI inputs)