Hyderabad: In a significant development, Osmania University (OU) has decided to ban public and political meetings in its campus. All students, researchers, teaching and non-teaching staff were informed that activities not related to academics will not be permitted in the campus from now on.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday evening, the varsity administration pointed out that Osmania was established for the purpose of imparting higher education and conducting research in various disciplines.
The primary objective was to ensure academic and research oriented studies in the campus, the press note stressed.
The university had been the hotbed of Telangana statehood movement from 2009 onwards till the formation of the state in 2014. However, the varsity continues to remain in the news because of students and opposition parties using the institution premises to hold protests and public meetings denouncing the TRS government.
The varsity has sought co-operation from all quarters to help maintain an academic environment and peace in the university, in the larger interest of the student community.
Congress spokesperson and key student leader during Telangana movement Konagala Mahesh stated this decision shows that TRS government is in a panic mode after seeing the big success of Rahul Gandhi meeting in Sangareddy recently. Also this looks like a act of vengeance by TRS government on OU students for not allowing K.Chandrashekar Rao to speak during Centenary Inaugural fete
OU student leader Manavatha Rai was highly critical of the move. He wanted to know what is the problem if students hold meetings in a democratic manner.
“There were no such restrictions during Telangana movement. Then what is the need to bring new rules now. We will go to Court and try to make our voice heard in the campus on student and employee related issues even in the future,” he said.
Meanwhile, OU Teachers Association president Battu Satyanaryana stated that students are always welcome to hold meetings and discussions in auditoriums and meeting halls in the campus. However, meetings in front of buildings like Arts College should be avoided, he said. Teachers want the academic atmosphere to be maintained for the betterment of students careers, he said.
