The agitation at the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) over the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula further escalated on Monday with students rejecting the appointment of Vipin Srivastava as interim vice-chancellor and calling for a nationwide university strike on January 27.
On a day when students from different universities converged on the campus to pledge support to the stir, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) also said a bandh will be called in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh if their demands are not met.
The protesters coverged at the campus, responding to the ‘Chalo HCU’ call by the JAC, spearheading the stir.
“Students and others have come in from different parts of the country. More than a thousand have gathered here. The situation is under control,” HCU chief security officer TV Rao said. Security has been beefed up and a large number of police personnel have been deployed around the campus.
JCP Cyberabad TV Shashidhar Reddy said, “We are verifying all those who are entering the HCU campus. There is no such restriction on the ‘Chalo HCU’ programme.”
The students are demanding ouster of vice-chancellor Appa Rao, who has proceeded on leave, and enactment of a legislation called ‘Rohith Act’ aimed at preventing suicide of ST, SC, BC and minority students in universities.
“We are discussing with JACs of other universities to form a nationwide JAC to take forward the agitation until justice is delivered to Rohit. The JAC also calls for a strike in universities across the country on January 27,” a spokesperson of JAC for Social Justice said.
Meanwhile, Srivastava has appealed to the students to call off their hunger strike, saying that the deadlock could be resolved only through a dialogue and that the administration should be allowed to function. “We have been telling them for the last three days not to go on hunger strike. The main problem at this time is, today is 25th of January, students’ scholarships, fellowships... There is a procedure to be followed. Somebody has to sign the cheques”, he said.
Suspension of four scholars revoked
The HCU on Monday informed the Hyderabad high court that it has revoked the suspension of four students, against whom action had been initiated along with Rohit Vemula. The counsel of the four students, who had earlier filed a petition, challenging their suspension, however, said they have not been served with the order copy. The High Court made note of the proceedings and directed the HCU counsel to file before it the documents of the circular/order on revocation of the suspension along with the counter affidavit to be filed on the petition challenging their suspension.