Hostel mess shutdown sparks tensions in SVVU

Tirupati : The ongoing protest by Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University (SVVU) students escalated on Wednesday as they locked the university’s main gate, barring faculty members from entering the campus. The students, who have been staging peaceful demonstrations for the past month, intensified their agitation following the university’s decision to shut down the hostel mess.

According to the protesting students, they have been fighting for their long-pending stipend issues for the past 31 days through a peaceful indefinite strike. It may be recalled that, they have been demanding an increase in stipend on par with medical courses as they have been getting much lower amounts for the past several years.

However, the university authorities allegedly resorted to pressure tactics by closing the hostel mess and sending students out of the hostels without providing food or basic amenities.

In a statement, the students expressed their anguish, saying, “For over 30 days, we have been conducting peaceful protests. Instead of addressing our issues, the university authorities are trying to suppress our voices by depriving us of food and shelter.” Despite the difficult circumstances, the students declared that they would continue their strike until their stipend demands were fulfilled.

By evening, heavy police deployment was witnessed at the campus as tensions flared. Students raised slogans against the Vice Chancellor, accusing the administration of using fear tactics to break their protest. They claimed that the authorities threatened to file cases against them if they did not call off the agitation.

After police intervention, the vice-chancellor assured the students that the mess would be reopened immediately.

He also promised that a team of student representatives would be taken to meet Minister for Animal Husbandry K Atchannaidu to present their demands and work towards an amicable solution. Following this, the students have opened the University main gates.

However, with no concrete resolution on the stipend issue yet, the students maintained that their indefinite strike would continue until their demands were met.