JAC calls varsity bandh

Hyderabad: The Osmania University JAC has announced a bandh of all state universities in Telangana on Wednesday in support of the countrywide bandh declared by the Joint Action Committee for Social Justice which is leading the protest in University of Hyderabad on the issue of suicide by Rohith Vemula.

In Hyderabad the Students Union of English and Foreign Languages University urged students to observe bandh. The UoH JAC also formed an All India JAC in collaboration with JACs elsewhere in the country like the JNU, New Delhi, TISS, Mumbai and Wardha University, Maharashtra which have also decided to observe a bandh on Wednesday. The Gender Studies faculty of department of Ambedkar University, New Delhi decided not to conduct classes on Wednesday. The Pondi-cherry University Teachers Association said that it condemns the high-handedness of UoH administration.

Scores of activists arrested:

As many as 60 activists protesting at the Ambedkar statue near Telugu Talli flyover were arrested by police on Tuesday. Activists from AISF, AIYF, NSIW and DHPS staged a protest in front of the statue, demanding immediate removal of Union ministers Bandaru Dattatreya and Smriti Irani from the cabinet and action against UoH VC Appa Rao Podile.

They held the Union government responsible for the discrimination against students from weaker section in educational institutions. Since, Rohith' suicide, student unions have been staging protests at Dattatreya's residence and other places. More than 100 students of Osmania University were also detained by police on Tuesday after they started a rally from People's Plaza at Necklace Road to the BR Ambedkar statue.