The University of Hyderabad Students’ Union (UoHSU) has declared an indefinite protest and boycott of classes starting Tuesday, demanding the removal of police personnel and earth-moving machinery from the campus.
UoHSU Vice President Akash called on students and faculty to join the protest and boycott classes in response to what they termed the university’s “betrayal” in facilitating land clearing activities for the state government.
These activities concern a 400-acre plot of land at Kancha Gachibowli, situated near the university.
In a joint statement, the UoHSU, alongside other student associations, condemned the “brutal police crackdown” on peaceful demonstrators.
They also expressed outrage over the university’s actions, accusing it of facilitating the clearing of land which they believe should be under university control.
The students’ demands include a written assurance that the land will be formally registered under the university’s ownership, alongside the public release of the minutes from the Executive Committee meeting regarding the matter.
They also seek greater transparency concerning the land-related documents held by the university.
Meanwhile, a delegation of BJP legislators, led by Legislature Party Floor Leader Alleti Maheshwar Reddy, is scheduled to visit the site on Tuesday.
Reddy, however, claimed that police prevented him and other party members from leaving their residences to visit the site.
“The police did not issue any notice to me explaining why I was being prevented from stepping out,” Maheshwar Reddy told PTI, adding that other BJP MLAs and leaders also faced similar restrictions.
The land in question, spanning 400 acres, is at the heart of a dispute between the Telangana government and the university.
The state government plans to develop IT infrastructure and other projects on the land, but student groups from UoH have voiced opposition, citing concerns about environmental conservation.
On Monday, the government maintained that the land belonged to the state, not the university. In contrast, the University of Hyderabad’s Registrar issued a statement asserting that the boundary of the disputed land had been finalised, contradicting the government’s claim.
The government has alleged that students are being misled by political leaders and real estate groups.
Meanwhile, the TGIIC (Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation) stated that it has legally proven its ownership of the land in court.
“This dispute, if it continues, could lead to contempt of court,” the government added in a statement.
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