Ashok Vajpeyi to return D. Litt from Hyderabad varsity

Noted writer Ashok Vajpeyi on Tuesday decided to return D.Litt given to him by the Hyderabad University in protest against the "anti-Dalit" attitude of authorities which has allegedly driven a dalit student to commit suicide.

"A Dalit student, Rohith Vemula, who wanted to be a writer was driven to commit suicide due to anti-dalit and intolerance of dissent shown. I have decided to return the award in protest against university authorities, (who were) presumably acting under political pressure," Vajpeyi, a former Lalit Kala Akademi chairman, said.