Hyderabad: Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar was denied entry into the University of Hyderabad by security personnel following prohibitory orders imposed by the university on Wednesday.
While some UoH students and activists of the All India Students Federation from Osmania University turned up in his support, a few activists belonging to the ABVP protested against Mr Kumar’s visit. One of them was detained by the police.
Read: Total clampdown, major vigil at University of Hyderabad
Mr Kumar spoke outside the UoH gate and said, “The voice of students cannot be suppressed with a lathicharge and sending them to hospital. This is a fight against the attack on democracy and on the Constitution. This is a fight for freedom against casteism.”
Mr Kumar said that it was on March 23 that freedom fighter and revolutionary Bhagat Singh was hanged and that is why he chose to visit UoH on the day to honour the sacrifice of Rohith Vemula.
Read: Hyderabad University students search for food, caned
Mr Kumar stressed on the need for a Rohith Act to end discrimination on university campuses.
Kanhaiya to fight for Rohith Act passage
Jawaharlal Nehru Unive-rsity Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar said that the Centre had created the JNU controversy to supress the issues that had led to the suicide of Rohith Vemula. When asked on Tuesday, UoH vice-chancellor Prof. Appa Rao Podile had said no one had approached him for permission to speak at the university. The university subsequently issued orders on Wednesday prohibiting entry of outsiders.
Read: 25 students and 2 faculty members arrested for UoH violence
Speaking to the media earlier at Kondapur, Mr Kumar criticised Prof. Appa Rao for barring entry into the campus. “If anyone’s entry has to be prohibited in the university it should be that of the vice-chancellor because of whom the present atmosphere exists in the university.” Mr Kumar later met Ms Radhika Vemula, the mother of Rohith Vemula, and the scholar’s brother Raja Vemula and promised them support in ensuring that the Rohith Act is passed in Parliament.
Speaking at the venue, Ms Radhika Vemula said she would meet Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and present a representation highlighting the need for a Rohith Act.
Read: Violence at HCU: Telangana Congress faults lathicharge on legislator
Mr Kumar said, “All students want to study and pursue a career. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure the right atmosphere exists for it.” But Union ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya and BJP MLC Ramachandra Rao had “polarised the atmosphere in the University of Hyderabad.”
