Hyderabad: Ambedkar Jayanti celebrations at the English and Foreign Languages University was marred by a tiff between a Dalit PhD scholar, Koonal Duggal and the university administration resulting in a police complaint being filed under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act by Koonal against University Proctor, Prof Prakash Kona.
The issue started soon after Koonal, from the Department of Cultural Studies and a guest faculty at the University of Hyderabad, gave a speech on discrimination in university campuses in relation to the Rohith Vemula issue.
Koonal said that as soon as he finished his speech, some security officials of the university cornered him and tried to evict him from the campus to which the research scholar protested.
Koonal said: “When I asked the security officer on what basis I was being evicted, he told me that he has orders from the Proctor. I asked him for the order in writing after which he went away and did not return. I was humiliated in front of all students and teachers. I lodged a complaint at Osmania University Police Station against the Proctor under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.”
On March 29 this year, the Proctor released a circular prohibiting Koonal’s entry into the campus. It said that Koonal, who submitted his thesis in September 2015, “continues to trespass on this campus indulging in anti-university activities. Therefore, his entry into the EFL University campus is strictly prohibited except with the permission of the Proctor.”
Koonal said, “I have submitted my PhD thesis and am waiting for viva. I am still a student here. Moreover, it was a peaceful meeting to mark Ambedkar Jayanti which I attended.”
Another PhD student from EFLU said, “There are many PhD students staying in campus hostels even after submitting thesis, why target only Koonal?”
Prof Prakash Kona, said, “As he finished his course he cannot enter without the Proctor's permission.”
