The students of University of Hyderabad (UoH) on Tuesday, April 2, boycotted classes and launched an indefinite protest, alleging that the varsity administration has "betrayed" the students community by facilitating clearances for the contentious 400 acres of land, which the state government intends to auction.
The students' union also accused the UoH administration of allowing "brutal police crackdown" against the protesting students.
On Tuesday morning, hundreds of students took out a march to the administrative block. They claimed that the 400 acres of land in question in survey No 25 and 26 is part and parcel of UoH and referred to it as "East Campus", stated a report by The New Indian Express.
They demanded immediate removal of all police personnel and earthmovers deployed in the university. They have also demanded written assurance from the university administration that it will initiate measures to ensure that the land is registered under the university, release the minutes of the Executive Committee meeting held on this issue, and to ensure transparency in land related documents.
The student unions including All India Students' Association (AISA), All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA), Ambedkar Students Association (ASA), Bahujan Student Federation (BSF), Dalit Students' Union (DSU), Fraternity, Jammu And Kashmir Students' Association (JAKSA), Muslim Students Federation (MSF), Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU), Students' Federation of India (SFI), Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) and Tribal Student's Forum (TSF) as well as Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) participated in the protest.
While the university administration didn't allow the journalists to cover the protest gathering, TNIE managed to reach out to the students over the phone.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, a Mass Communications student said that the state government started clearing the land on Ugadi, which is a public holiday, days before a PIL was to heard in the high court on April 2, with the help of over 50 earthmovers. "Even as we were protesting, there were multiple earthmovers clearing the green cover and we could hear the loud crowing wailing calls of peacocks," he said.
"We want say that the police and government cannot wash their hands off this atrocity," the student added.
Meanwhile, UoH Students Union general secretary Nihal Sulaiman alleged that the varsity gave a free hand to police inside the campus. He said that the university has refused to put their official position on the issue, and address the contentions of the students. He said that they will not go back until the students who were arrested are set free, and their demands are met, according to the report by The New Indian Express.
