UoH entry bar stokes protest by students

UoH entry bar stokes protest by students
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Highlights

Scores of students of University of Hyderabad (UoH) on Friday blocked the varsity\'s administration building demanding immediate removal of Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile and lifting of restriction on the entry of outsiders into the campus.

Irate students lay siege to admn building, clamour for VC’s ouster

  • Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav blocked from entering campus

Hyderabad: Scores of students of University of Hyderabad (UoH) on Friday blocked the varsity's administration building demanding immediate removal of Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile and lifting of restriction on the entry of outsiders into the campus.

The university’s security personnel, who on Thursday stopped entry of three Kerala MPs and social activist Teesta Setalvad into the campus, prevented Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav and others from entering the campus on Friday.

Yogendra Yadav alleged that Appa Rao lost moral authority to continue as Vice Chancellor. Earlier, scores of students assembled in front of the administration building entrance at around 8 am and continued their blockade till 2 pm. The employees were forced to stay outside as the students did not allow them inside, UoH's chief security officer T V Rao told a news agency .

The students under the banner of JAC for Social Justice of UoH raised slogans against the VC and UoH authorities and sought for opening of the varsity gates for media and public. "Permission should be given to our parents, doctors, lawyers and human rights activists to come inside and interact with students," they demanded. On March 23, the varsity authorities decided not to allow any outsider, including media persons and politicians, on the campus.

The protesting students further demanded for dropping false charges against all the students and immediate removal and arrest of Appa Rao who has been booked on charge of abetting suicide of research scholar Rohith Vemula. JAC also demanded nullifying of the decisions which it claimed were taken in the meeting of deans of schools with regard to removal of ‘unauthorised things’ at the shopping complex inside the campus, (especially pertaining to removal of Vemula memorial).

‘Rohith Smaraka Stupa,’ a memorial of the Dalit research scholar whose suicide landed the university in the ongoing controversy, currently stands on the campus. However, a senior university official on Friday reiterated that there was no such plan as of now to remove anything from there. Also, the varsity authorities had not discussed anything related to the removal of unauthorised structures on the campus, he said.

Yadav, who was prevented from entering the university, said "We came to express solidarity with students. He (Appa Rao) has no right to continue as the head of this university. He is an accused, maybe he is acquitted. But he should come to the campus only after the investigation is complete."

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