Fathi Moves HC After Police Deny Nod for Teachers’ Meet

Hyderabad: A fresh standoff erupted on Thursday after Hyderabad City Police denied permission for the November 8 ‘Swaantana’ teachers’ meeting organised by the Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Institutions (FATHI), citing restrictions on large gatherings around the Assembly and Secretariat zones.

The denial extended to alternative venues, including Secunderabad Stadium, Uppal Stadium, and Saroornagar Stadium, leaving organisers without an approved site. In response, FATHI’s executive committee approached the Telangana High Court on Thursday evening, and the matter is expected to come up for urgent hearing on Friday.

Following the rejection, the federation announced that it would temporarily shift the November 8 programme to the Aurora Engineering College campus in Bandlaguda, pending the court’s decision. FATHI also said that its proposed “Long March” of students towards the Secretariat, originally planned for November 11, has been postponed to November 15.

Meanwhile, Thursday witnessed renewed student protests over delayed fee reimbursements. BC, SC and ST student groups staged a dharna at Gun Park, alleging that tens of thousands of students in engineering, pharmacy, MBA, MCA, BEd and nursing colleges are unable to access certificates or clear dues as the state has yet to release pending fee reimbursement and scholarship amounts.

Leaders, including Vemula Ramakrishna, Gujja Krishna, and Suresh, criticised the government for prioritising contractor payments while students continued to struggle for basic academic documentation.

FATHI leaders said the bandh entered its fourth day on Thursday and would continue until the government releases at least Rs 5,000 crore out of the roughly Rs 10,000 crore pending.

In an update issued on Wednesday night, the union unveiled the poster for the “Telangana Teachers’ Swaantana Sabha,” projecting attendance from over one lakh teaching and non-teaching staff across all 33 districts.

The federation reiterated its demand for the transfer of in-charge secretary Devasena from the Higher Education Department, alleging that she has been “misguiding” ministers on academic matters. It also urged the government to include banking and finance experts, rather than additional bureaucrats, on the proposed Trust Bank committee.

FATHI further announced a boycott of JNTU’s pharmacy examinations, declaring that no pharmacy college in Telangana will open on Friday as part of the ongoing agitation.