The University of Hyderabad (UoH also known as Hyderabad Central University (HCU)) has allegedly removed Dalit professor G Nagaraju from the position of Dean of Students' Welfare (DSW), despite two months remaining in his tenure.
The move has sparked outrage among various student organisations, including the Students’ Federation of India-HCU (SFI), Bahujan's Students' Front-HCU (BSF), Muslim Students Federation (MSF), All India Other Backward Classes Students' Association (AIOBCSA) - HCU and Dalit Students' Union, who have united in protest against what they see as a targeted attack on a Dalit administrator.
“The professor was scapegoated to cover up the administration’s inefficiency to stop communal organisations like RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) inside the campus. He was just an easy target as a Dalit administrator,” alleged G Mohith, Secretary of SFI.
What happened exactly?
According to Mohith, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) allegedly misled the DSW to give permission for Guru Puja Utsav at the Amenities Centre on July 15, Saturday. However, upon further investigation into the permissions granted for this event, student organisations discovered a glaring discrepancy.
For RSS's Guru Puja Utsav, they claim to have found a letter written on plain white paper with no official signatures, claiming that the Vivekananda Youth Forum wished to use the space for the commemoration event. “ABVP misled the DSW Office which raises serious questions about the university administration's handling of the situation,” he alleges.
Students claim Prof Nagaraju's removal was only a cover-up. Mohith also alleges that this is not the first time an event like this has happened on campus without any repercussions from the administration.
“We have over and over again raised concerns but no action was taken by the administration. So, why the arbitrary decision against a Dalit professor now?” asks Mohith.
The National Students Union of India (NSUI)-HCU, in their statement against the move to remove Prof Nagaraju, also wrote that student organisations allegedly met with the DSW to discuss the consequences of allowing the Guru Puja Utsav event despite the dubious permission. In response to the unfolding situation, Dr Nagaraju, in a show of moral responsibility, decided to step down, stating, "I will quit."
However, instead of addressing the concerns raised by the student community, the university administration has now allegedly taken the step of removing Dr Nagaraju from his post. The university has not confirmed the order, nevertheless, student organisations claim the order will come out tomorrow, July 21 and has already been confirmed by Dr Nagaraju, the registrar and the vice-chancellor.
The registrar and other administrative members of HCU were not available for comments. Nevertheless, the students have been calling for the resignation of the vice-chancellor and the registrar demanding accountability and transparency from the university's top leadership.
Protest gathering
Tomorrow, July 21, the Students' Union at HCU has called for a protest gathering at the administration block around 11 am. The main demands include the removal of the university registrar due to perceived inefficiency and alleged Brahmanical actions. Additionally, the students are advocating for the revocation of the Common University Entrance Test Undergraduate and Postgraduate (CUET UG & PG) application fee, an end to the mandatory submission of caste certificates during PhD interviews to ensure a fair interview process, among other demands.
