Telangana BJP State President N Ramchander Rao has issued a legal notice to Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, demanding an unconditional public apology for allegedly making defamatory remarks linking him to the 2016 suicide of University of Hyderabad student Rohith Vemula. The BJP leader has warned of defamation proceedings worth Rs 25 crore if an apology is not forthcoming.
The controversy erupted following Bhatti Vikramarka’s statement at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi on July 12. While criticising Rao’s elevation as the BJP State President, the Deputy Chief Minister alleged that Ramchander Rao was among those who pressured the police and university authorities, actions he claimed contributed to Vemula’s expulsion from the hostel and his subsequent suicide.
Responding sharply, Ramchander Rao’s legal counsel served a notice on July 15 accusing the Deputy CM of making “malicious and false imputations” despite a court-cleared record.
“My client demands an unconditional apology for your illegal and unlawful acts of making false imputations against him,” the notice stated.
The BJP Telangana leader, through a post on X, condemned Bhatti Vikramarka’s comments as “baseless and defamatory.” It pointed out that the final investigation report filed before the SC/ST Special Court in March 2024 had exonerated Ramchander Rao of all charges. The party highlighted three key findings of the report:
No evidence against Ramchander Rao
No abetment from his side
Rohith Vemula’s caste certificate was found to be fraudulent
The baseless & defamatory statements made by Dy. CM @Bhatti_Mallu, falsely accusing BJP State President in the Rohith Vemula case, are a deliberate attempt to tarnish State President Shri. @N_RamchanderRao’s image.
The Final Investigation Report filed before the SC/ST Special… pic.twitter.com/nyUUUDWv8e
— Office of NRR (@NRR_Office) July 15, 2025
Ramchander Rao, in a tweet, said:
“The baseless & defamatory statements made by Dy. CM @Bhatti_Mallu, falsely accusing BJP State President in the Rohith Vemula case, are a deliberate attempt to tarnish my image… Public life demands accountability — not cheap propaganda.”
