Suspension revoked but storm intensifies in varsity

Wilting under relentless pressure from the students agitating for the removal of the Vice Chancellor Appa Rao and punishment for those responsible for the suicide of Rohith Vemula, the varsity Executive Council met and decided to “terminate” the punishment imposed on the students. But the protesting students were not satisfied with the revocation of the suspension and burnt copies of the EC decision. 

In solidarity with the students, the Controller of Examinations, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Warden were among the 13 faculty members belonging to SC-ST communities who gave up their administrative posts which they were holding as an additional responsibility. Vijaya Kumar, one of the students, whose suspension was revoked, said this was not enough. 

University Dean Prakash Babu said the revocation of suspension is the first step that is subject to proceedings in the High Court and appealed to the students to accept the decision saying more announcements will follow on issues like the compensation. 

Earlier, members of Dalit (SC/ST) faculty of Hyderabad University said  in a statement that it is unfortunate that the HRD Minister Smriti Irani “misrepresented” the facts of the case by stating that the senior most dalit professor actually headed the executive council sub-committee which took the  decision to suspend the students, while it was headed by an “upper caste” Professor Vipin Srivastava. 

When contacted, a senior faculty member told PTI, “We (faculty and other officials) are going to give up our administrative posts if the minister doesn’t correct her statement.” 

Adding further political thrust to the agitation, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reached the campus today and called for removal of Union ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya. 

Hitting out at Congress and other opposition parties over the alleged suicide of a Dalit research scholar at Hyderabad University, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidusaid they were using the opportunity for cheap political advantage. 

“Congress and the opposition parties are using the opportunity for cheap political advantage,” he told reporters in Kanyakumari on Thursday. 

Rejecting the opposition’s allegations against the Centre and Union Minister Badaru Dattatraya, who has been made an accused in the suicide case, Naidu said the central government as well as the ministers had nothing to do with the alleged suicide.