The move of the Telangana Government to use Osmania University land to build houses for the poor is likely to snowball into controversy with a section of students opposing the move attacking a hotel building in Habsiguda on Monday.
Agitating students pelted stones at the building belonging to a ruling TRS MLA and damaged the glass façade. Police had to use force to disperse the protestors and chase them away. While 17 activists of Telangana Vidyarthi Vedika (TVV) were caught by the police at the spot, eight were let off in the evening.
The remaining nine were slapped with criminal case by invoking different sections of the Indian Penal Code, including the Criminal Law Amendment Act. They would be produced before a court, Osmania University Inspector Ashok Reddy said.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s recent announcement to use 11 acres of OU land is being vehemently opposed by different sections. Rubbishing their objections, the Chief Minister further said the move would be enforced and it led to uniting of students, teachers and political parties. Some students formed the TVV vowing to fight the proposal and had planned to lay siege to CM’s residence at Somajiguda. Security was stepped up at the CM’s residence. Police teams were deployed at different points on OU campus to ensure no protests were organised on the roads.
