HCU V-C seeks cooperation of parents and students

“The university administration seeks your kind cooperation and requests you to advise your ward to avoid any activity that will affect the reputation of the institution from which they wish to graduate,” Appa Rao appealed in a release to parents of the HCU students.

“The university was and will always be committed to freedom of speech and expression. While difference of opinion and dissent is not discouraged, the university certainly does not take kindly to vandalism and other acts of indiscipline,” Rao said.

He was referring to ransacking of the VC’s lodge on March 22 allegedly by a section of students, when he resumed his duty after going on leave at the height of agitation over the suicide of research scholar Rohith Vemula on January 17.

He said the university has set up mechanisms for grievance redressal at all stages of administration. “We request you to please remain in touch with your ward and encourage them to seek redressal 

through those mechanisms, should they need it, at their respective Department/School”.

The students should feel free to approach their mentees/ heads to talk to them about any anxieties or problems, he said, adding, “We wish to reassure the parents that the university will always be for students and will not shirk its responsibility towards them”.

The current semester is drawing to a close and end- semester examinations will begin soon. Afterwards, several students will graduate and step out into the world in search of a meaningful life, Rao said and sought cooperation of parents, and students in particular, in the smooth functioning of the university.

Meanwhile, activists of Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU) held a protest in front of HCU demanding immediate arrest and removal of Appa Rao Podile over the death of research scholar Rohit Vemula.

The security personnel at the HCU, however, foiled the attempts of PDSU activists to force their way inside the campus by stopping them at the main gate itself, university’s Chief Security Officer T V Rao said.