The Andhra Pradesh government on Sunday came under more pressure for withdrawal of the Central security forces from Osmania University (OU) in Hyderabad.
Following the demand by Telangana Congress leaders that the Central forces be withdrawn and the alleged restrictions on media be lifted at OU, State Home Minister P. Sabita Reddy on Sunday convened a meeting of the Congress leaders, top police officials and varsity’s peace committee.
“We told the Home Minister and officials that a war-like atmosphere prevails at the University. Messes are closed. There are reports of hostels being attacked. Students fear that pellets and rubber bullets are being fired,” Congress Lok Sabha member M. Jagannatham told reporters.
“Also, the restrictions on media have to be lifted. Because we don’t come to know what is happening inside the University. We sought relaxation on these things,” he said.
Telugu Desam leaders from Telangana and TRS had also demanded earlier that the forces be withdrawn from OU, the nerve-centre of separate statehood agitation by students.
The Home Minister, however, clarified that there is no truth in the propaganda that Central security forces have been deployed in the University campus.
“We called this meeting to explain what is actually happening in the University...The propaganda that forces have been deployed in the University and that the students are facing trouble is not correct.”
“Forces have been stationed outside the University as a precautionary measure in view of the incidents that happened earlier,” she told reporters after the meeting.
