Hyderabad: While Hyderabad Central University today maintained that there was no violation of human rights of students who are opposing resumption of duty by Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said he would take up the entire issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
HCU registrar M Sudhakar in his report to the APSHRC today termed the complaint against the VC as false. None of the hostels were closed and not a single student was evicted from the hostels, he said.
As to the incidents of March 22, a note issued by the HCU said when the VC was holding a meeting with members of the Executive Council at his official residence, a mob vandalised the personal property of the VC and that of the University besides roughing up the security staff.
“But for the timely intervention of students of Life Sciences and some non-teaching staff, who formed a protective security cordon, the Vice Chancellor and other faculty members would have been brutally assaulted,” the note said.
Twenty-five students and two associate professors were arrested for vandalising the VC’s residence. Their bail plea would come up for hearing on Monday.
The students are opposed to resumption of duty by Podile, whom they hold responsible, alongwith others, for the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula
The issue also rocked the Telangana Assembly, with the opposition Congress seeking a debate. MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi said the Assembly should pass a resolution seeking the VC’s recall, but the Chief Minister Rao said it may not be appropriate as the HCU comes under the Central jurisdiction.
Rao, however, assured the House that he would take up the issue, including the demand to recall the VC, with the Prime Minister.
During the debate, Telangana Home Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy claimed it had been established that Rohith Vemula was not a Dalit, but belonged to the Vaddera community.
P L Vishweshwar Rao, Aam Aadmi Party leader, had moved the APSHRC, alleging that HCU authorities closed the hostels and denied food, water, electricity and internet to students following protests over resumption of duty by VC on March 22.
PTI