Hyderabad: The Osmania University is on the boil again. Various student unions are protesting Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s statement on taking away 11 acres of OU land for construction of houses for the poor.
The students have also been raising their voice against encroachments which have been going on unabated on the university lands.
On Monday, a group of about 50 students belonging to the Telangana Vidyarthi Vedika decided to conduct protests near the Swagath Grand Hotel, claiming that the hotel is built on OU land and is owned by Muthireddy Yadagiri Reddy, the TRS MLA from Jangaon.
Mahesh, one of the TVV leaders, said, “There was heavy police deployment even before we reached the hotel. We wanted to conduct peaceful protests and then go to the CM’s residence to submit a representation. However, as we reached the spot, the cops started manhandling us. Some of the students got agitated and started pelting stones.”
Overall, 17 students were taken into preventive custody by the police. According to Mr Mahesh, they were taken to Amberpet police station and were kept there in a room without any information.
In retaliation, students of Democratic Students Union, OUJAC, and Telangana Nirudyoga Vidyarthi JAC, protested and burnt an effigy of the CM in the evening. On Monday, Prof Kodandram said, “While the government’s intention to build houses for the poor is good, taking lands belonging to the OU for the purpose is objectionable.”
On Sunday night, OU students belonging to the Telangana Vidyarthi JAC had launched a massive campaign against the state government called Poru Garjana. A public meeting was organised as part of it at the Arts
College, which was attended by BJP MLC Ramachandra Rao, TD leader R. Krishnaiah, and Prof. Kodandaram. Students demanded release of notifications for one lakh jobs as promised by the Chief Minister.
They also wanted the withdrawal of the CM’s statement that 11 acres of university land will be used for construction of houses.
M. Krishank, one of the speakers at the meeting, said, “The battle against the state government by students has begun.”
