Will probe police excesses: KCR

Hyderabad: Assuring the Assembly to order an inquiry into March 22 incidents on the University of Hyderabad campus to find out if any excesses were committed by the police, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said he would take up the demand for recall of its Vice Chancellor P Appa Rao with Prime Minister Narendra Modi shortly.

KCR assured the Assembly on Saturday that "if any atrocities were found to be committed by the police, appropriate action will be taken against them." Replying to a debate on the unrest in the Central University in the wake of Appa Rao resuming charge as VC, the Chief Minister said he would take up the issue with the Prime Minister in two to three days and expressed the hope that the issue would be sorted out.

On MIM demand that the House pass a resolution to seek the recall of Vice-Chancellor, KCR said the university was not under the purview of the state government. The administration was under the Central government. “We are not so big to pass a resolution against an individual. As the Leader of the House, I assure you that I will take up the issue with the Prime Minister and tell him that situation is like this… We don’t want him (VC) to continue.”

Referring to the death of Rohit Vemula, the Chief Minister said he did not visit the university deliberately. “Rohit was a bright student and he should not have committed suicide. It was a sad incident. It was not appropriate to visit the place at that time as it could take greater political overtones. Death of a dalit student is an unpardonable crime and it should be condemned in strong words. It is not important whether the student was dalit or not, but the incidents such as these should not have happened.

I assure the House that the government would take steps to see incidents like these are not repeated,” said KCR. Explaining the reasons for delay in the appointment of Vice Chancellors in various universities, the Chief Minister said he was of the opinion that the VCs’ appointment should not be person centric but institution centric. The search committees have been formed and they are in the final stages of selection, he added.

Regarding the visit of JNU Students Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar to the city, KCR said he had directed the state DGP not to arrest him since in democracy everyone has a right to have his say. He said he had also asked the police to allow them to hold a meeting at Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram. But it was the VC who had ordered that no one from outside should be allowed into the campus.

Referring to the Osmania University issue, KCR said that there was no written complaint by MLA S Sampath to the police. He said, Congress leaders Uttam Kumar Reddy and Bhatti Vikramarka had given a written memorandum to the DGP but they did not lodge a written complaint. Stating that incidents like these were not good for a new State like Telangana, KCR said “Let us not rub the issue anymore and let us maintain our dignity.”