Hyderabad: JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar on Thursday said there were similarities between Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University and the Hyderabad Central University in the manner in which students and teachers had been targeted.
He said campuses across the country were turning into war zones due to the government’s policies.
“It unfair to say students are losing control. How can the same thing happen in IIT-Madras, Fergusson (Pune), FTII? Why are campuses becoming war zones? We should ask the logical question that who is ordering the internal security to act this way?” he questioned.
Asking students to maintain cool, he said their plan was to mobilise people across the country supporting social justice and convince the government that it could not scuttle social justice.
“The problem is that education is being commercialised. Those who have money can study. There is cut in education budget and students are fighting against this onslaught,” he said.
He added, “They leveled sedition charges and sent me to jail, but it’s not important. The important thing is no Dalit student should be denied education. It’s very shameful for us and it’s a serious challenge in front of democracy. It is also a question of autonomy of universities.”
Stating that though he doesn’t know Telugu, he did learn one word, “Garu”. “All are garu to me. I don’t feel sad for the person who has a thrown shoe at me. I am not for with the person who threw a stone at me yesterday...nor the one who slapped me in JNU. I feel sad for you,” he added.
Girl student alleges molestation
A girl student from the UoH alleged that male police personnel molested and ill-treated women students and employees during the crackdown on protesters on Tuesday evening at the vice-chancellor's lodge in the university.
Student Vaikhari Aryat posted on her Facebook page: “Male police brutally grabbed, molested, tossed and beat female students and faculties alike. Female faculties (sic) were grabbed by their hair and dragged into vans. Male students were swept inside the van and were beaten without mercy. When I ran after them... police harassed me. They asked where I am from and when I told them it’s none of their business, they made a pass (comment) on my skin tone and threatened to teach me how to behave and tried to chase me away.”
In a media release on Thursday, the Cyberabad police said that there was no lathicharge or abuse of any girl students by male policemen.
