“The Vice Chancellor does not enjoy the confidence of the most vulnerable section of the students as such, he lacks the moral authority to continue in the job,” said psephologist Yogendra Yadav who was stopped from entering the University of Hyderabad campus despite being a former UGC member and an academician. On Thursday, activist Teesta Setalvad was barred from entering UoH campus. The former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member, who had come with a delegation, addressed students outside the campus itself and then left.
The day also witnessed a stand-off between students and UoH officials, as the former had blocked entry of employees into the administration building, following which the Registrar, M. Sudhakar, lodged a complaint with the Gachibowli police station ‘to get the siege vacated’. From 8.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m., more than 50 students gathered at the administration building, and chanted slogans against the vice-chancellor.
The protestors refused to let any of the employees enter the building, in spite of the security personnel trying to clear the way. Several of the non-teaching staff waited outside due to the impasse. The situation also led to the NTS members giving a formal complaint to the Registrar.
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Addressing the students outside the UoH main gate, Mr. Yadav said that the situation was like ‘gate meetings’, which are held outside factories during trade union strikes. “Outside universities you don’t have gate meetings, but they want to turn varsities into factories. Come in, get a degree and don’t ask questions. This is the attitude and message they want to give,” he added.
Mr. Yadav said that the same is happening at the Allahabad University, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and other institutions across India. “The new regime wants to send a clear message: no more thinking, no more critical discussions, nobody should raise a voice of dissent. But all over the country, students are raising their heads, a new wave of student unrest is taking place across campuses,” he added.
Mr Yadav said that he was not allowed to enter the campus in spite of pointing out that he is an academician. Mr. Yadav, who is also a former member of the University Grants Commission (UGC), also stated that the vice-chancellor Prof. Appa Rao does not enjoy the trust of the student community on the campus. “And as such, he does not have the moral authority to continue as VC,” he said.
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