Hyderabad: TPCC chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has accused the TRS government of branding Dalits, ST, BC and minority students as “criminals”.
Mr Reddy, who met the students of University of Hyderabad who have been lodged at the Cherlapally jail here, along with party chief spokesperson D. Sravan and NSUI state president Venkat, flayed the government for mistreating students and faculty members when they protested against the return of P. Appa Rao as the Vice-Chancellor.
“Instead of sending Appa Rao, an accused in SC/ST Atrocities case, to jail, the state government has targeted innocent students who were protesting peacefully. They were lathicharged and brutally beaten up even in the police vans. This is highly intolerable,” he said.
Mr Reddy blamed the NDA government at the Centre and the TRS government in TS for the present unrest in the UoH.
“Is it a crime to protest against the suicide by Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula? Is it wrong to demand Rohith Act to prevent caste discrimination in educational institutions? Is it wrong to demand the arrest of Appa Rao who has been booked under a non-bailable offence?” he asked.
The TPCC chief also criticised the TRS government for opposing the bail plea of UoH students and faculty who have been under arrest since March 21. “By opposing the bail petition, the state government has clearly exposed its stand wherein it is treating Dalit students like criminals,” he said.
Mr Reddy said false cases cannot deter students from democratic struggles. “The TRS government should stop implicating innocent students in false cases and immediately arrest Appa Rao. Similarly, the NDA government should stop interfering in educational institutions,” he said.
