Hyderabad: Ms Uzramma, a well-known activist who worked for decades to conserve the cotton handloom industry, was detained by the police on Monday for more than two hours for protesting at the Ambedkar statue near Tank Bund on the Rohith Vemula issue in the University of Hyderabad premises, along with about 20 others.
When contacted, Ms Uzramma said, “We were holding placards and protesting peacefully when the police came and took us away.” “I believe that the police did not act individually but were carrying out orders issued by the government. We are upset that the TRS government is no different.”
“The formation of Telangana was possible because of huge support from students.” “It was sad that the students were beaten up by police for conducting protests.”
SHRC closes petition, VC seeks peace
The SHRC has closed a petition filed by the Aam Aadmi Party alleging rights violations at the UoH campus due to closure of messes in hostels, disconnecting internet services and barring the media on March 23.
After vice-chancellor Prof. Appa Rao Podile appeared before the SHRC on Monday, an official from the commission said, “The complaint on him was closed two days ago, as all the amenities were restored in the hostels.” Separately, the vice-chancellor called for students to rise above “anger and confrontational attitude”.
On the arrests made on the UoH campus, he said, “While I wanted to intervene, the legal system is beyond our control. I request the students to resist any temptation for violence on the campus or anywhere else, as it would not yield any productive outcomes.” The VC said he and his team were open for a dialogue.
Protests by students still Continue
Nationwide call for boycott of classes on Monday, issued by the JAC for Social Justice of UoH, got a mixed response at the UoH and other universities here. In UoH, while a few hundred students staged protests and boycotted classes, all classes were conducted without any disruption.
Some protesters alleged that university security officers videographed their protests, and expressed the fear that the university might target them later.
A university official said, “They must have used it so that anyone resorting to violence or vandalism can be identified later.”
