Rohith Vemula suicide: Hyderabad University VC Appa Rao resumes office
Hyderabad: University of Hyderabad vice-chancellor Professor Appa Rao Podile, who is embroiled in a controversy over the suicide of research scholar Rohith Vemula, resumed office on Tuesday morning.
According to University of Hyderabad registrar's office, Appa Rao, who went on indefinite leave in the last week of January, will address a press conference this afternoon.
Furious students staged a protest against Appa Rao and vandalised his office.
Students broke into Rao's office, vandalised and ransacked the area while maintaining their demand of his resignation.
"He is the main culprit in Rohith's death and everyone knows that. The case is still pending in court. Without informing anyone, he joined back and called an executive council meeting. Only deans and nominated people should be attending the meetings but some students are also present inside," a student said.
Read: Full text of the suicide letter penned by Hyderabad scholar
Appa Rao went on leave on January 24 following protests over suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula on the campus.
26-year-old Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula who hanged himself in Hyderabad Central University campus in January, was suspended from his hostel by the HCU administration in August last year for allegedly attacking an ABVP leader.
Read: HCU suicide: Prof had asked Rohith Vemula if ‘Dalit’ got him grant
In August 2015, Bandaru Dattatreya had written to Smriti Irani alleging that Hyderabad University had become ‘a den of casteist, extremist and anti-national politics.’ He cited the attack on ABVP leader and stated that the university administration had turned into ‘a mute spectator to such events.’
Students of the university alleged that Dattatreya's letter sought action against research scholars including Vemula.
Read: HCU suicide: Mystery over scratched paragraph in Rohith’s last letter
Earlier, Prof. Appa Rao had said that he is going on leave to facilitate talks with the protesting students.
“I cannot say at this moment how many days I will be on leave. I have decided to be on leave till normalcy is restored. I have been in touch with the faculty and likeminded organisations to enable talks,” Prof. Appa Rao had said.
Read: HCU VC seeks quashing of abetment of Rohith Vemula’s suicide
Dattatreya, Appa Rao and two others were booked for ‘abetting’ the suicide of Dalit research scholar who was banned from the university’s hostel.
Read: HCU suicide: Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, V-C booked for ‘abetment’
