BJP accuses IUML of cheating Rohith Vemula's familyBJP accuses IUML of cheating Rohith Vemula's family, Vemula's mother deniesBJP accuses IUML of using Rohith Vemula's family, Vemula's mother denies

In her statement, Radhika Vemula said IUML made false promises of providing a sum of Rs 20 lakh and asked her to address their rallies and misrepresent the unfortunate incident," Goyal claimed.

Image: Union Minister Piyush Goyal/ANI

New Delhi: Refuting the claims of being used by Indian Union Muslim League and other opposition parties for political gains, Rohith Vemula's mother Radhika Vemula said that it was her wish to speak against PM and BJP.

She said: " It's true that Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) promised to provide me with money, but they haven't used me for political gains. It was my wish to speak against PM Modi & if needed I will speak again in any of their meeting" She also said:" Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) sent us two cheques of Rs 2.5 lakh out of which one has bounced. We informed them & they said they will directly provide us money so that we can buy a house." The BJP on Wednesday accused the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) of using the family of Hyderabad University student Rohith Vemula for political motives. "I was anxious after reading Rohith Vemula's mother's statement. For how long will some opposition parties continue playing politics over it? The family is financially unstable and fake assurance of money was made to a distressed mother for political purposes," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Piyush Goyal told reporters here. "In her statement, Radhika Vemula said IUML made false promises of providing a sum of Rs 20 lakh and asked her to address their rallies and misrepresent the unfortunate incident," Goyal claimed. He said she was asked to travel to Kerala and address the rallies for the IUML. As tweeted by ANI, Goyal fired a salvo at Congress as well, accusing it of providing leverage to Vemula's mother for political gains.

I received info that even Congress President took them (Vemula's family) to stages & asked them to make statements. It should be exposed what was the intention behind it & what was offered. Rahul Gandhi should apologise for doing petty politics on pillar of lies: Piyush Goyal pic.twitter.com/jG7MPxbxjB

— ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2018

He further added: "The statements of Rohith Vemula's mother are all before us, I believe there was an effort made to pressurise the mother to retract from what she had said, probably again on the pretext of giving her some money."

The statements of Rohith Vemula's mother are all before us, I believe there was an effort made to pressurise the mother to retract from what she had said, probably again on the pretext of giving her some money: Piyush Goyal pic.twitter.com/Icp8iO4X59

— ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2018

Rohith Vemula, a PhD student at Hyderabad University, committed suicide in the campus on January 17, 2016. His suicide triggered a massive row as the opposition parties described it as a case of atrocities against Dalits. Lashing out at the IUML leaders, the BJP leader said: "According to his mother, the IUML gave them two cheques of Rs 2.5 lakh, out of which one bounced." Targeting Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Goyal said, "I received information that even Congress President took Vemula's family to stages and asked them to make statements." "Rahul Gandhi should apologise for doing petty politics," he said. (inputs from agencies)