Tension flared at the University of Hyderabad yesterday as police clashed with students opposing the Telangana government’s plan to redevelop 400 acres of land near the campus. The incident sparked a political controversy, with the opposition BRS alleging that police forcibly dragged and assaulted protesting students.
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Students Protest Against Bulldozers and Detentions
Several students alleged that bulldozers and earthmovers were brought as part of the redevelopment plan, leading to their detention, but they were later released.
The state government, which plans to set up an IT park on the land bordering the varsity campus, reportedly issued a proposal to auction the land. Raising environmental concerns, a section of the students opposed the move and staged demonstrations.
The government claimed its goal was to promote investment in the state and that the land had nothing to do with the university. The students said they rushed to the site after noticing bulldozers arriving there – they climbed atop the heavy demolition machines while raising “go back” slogans. A group of marching students also raised “police raj murdabad” slogans.
Multiple videos showed the police clashing with the students and dragging them into police vans.
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Political Controversy and BRS Allegations
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), led by former chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, accused the police of bringing dozens of bulldozers to flatten the land and beating students with batons and dragging them by their hair for opposing the move.
“Girls complained that their clothes were torn, but the police ignored their pleas and took them to the station.” They arrested about 200 people.” On Sunday, when the police officers started work to level 400 acres of land belonging to the university, they showed such harshness on the students who tried to stop them,” the opposition party said.
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Targeting Congress and Rahul Gandhi, it said, “This is a market of betrayal and not mohabbat ki dukaan (shop of love)”. The phrase is a reference to Mr Gandhi’s iconic dialogue that he had used as part of his campaign against the BJP in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections last year.
“The Congress’ “Mohabbat ki Dukaan” has now reached the Hyderabad Central University. Rahul Gandhi goes around holding a constitution in hand and preaching while his government is doing exactly the opposite,” the BRS added.
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Police Justification and Student Union’s Response
The police, however, stated that they took only 53 students into preventive custody for obstructing government officials from performing their duties. An official alleged some of them even assaulted the police. He said that the police will file cases against them.
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Condemning the police action, the university’s students’ union claimed they had only staged a peaceful rally in the area. The students have a democratic right to protest, they said, accusing the police of forceful detentions and “manhandling” the students.