Hyderabad: Restrictions fail to deter protests

Hyderabad: Cyberabad police on Tuesday blocked roads by erecting barricades and prohibited movement towards Maulana Azad National Urdu University (Manuu) where students are agitating against the enactment of the Citizenship (Amended) Act and proposed implementation of the National Register of Citizens.

Police personnel were deployed to verify the identity of any visitors. They allowed only staff and students of the university and other establishments nearby to proceed.

Family members of the staff of the university who stay on campus were not allowed in since they do not possess identity cards. University authorities had to intervene to allow family members to pass through the barriers. Media persons were also not allowed to pass through.

International karate champion Sayeda Falak who was invited by the students union to address the agitating students was also not allowed.

Ms Falak expressed her anguish at the attitude of the police and asked why it was necessary to prevent people from demonstrating peacefully. “They stopped us today, but we will not keep quiet,” she said.

MANUU Student’s Union president Shaikh Umer Faruq Quadri said students may attend the semester examinations from Wednesday, but the democratic and peaceful protests will continue. Quadri said that students who don’t have examinations will participate in the agitation.

He questioned the tactics adopted by the police even though it was a peaceful protest.

Teaching and non-teaching staff of the University have extended their support to the agitating students.

Joining the students were teachers of the university, who led a peaceful march to protest the brutal action of police on students of Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi and Aligarh Muslim University. The MANUU Employees Welfare Association (Mewa) and Manuu Administrative Officers’ Association (MOA) joined in the march as well. Around 300 teaching and non-teaching staff led the procession to the main gate of the university holding up a variety of placards.

The representatives of all the three associations conveyed their solidarity with the students of MANUU, who are demanding justice for students of Jamia Millia and AMU. The students say that they want the Constitution to be protected, and allege that CAA’s implementation has diluted it.