Hyderabad: Protests by students of the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) were stalled by the police leading to a major showdown on Saturday afternoon. More than 200 students had gathered inside the pea-sized EFLU campus for a dharna in solidarity with the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi.
They wanted a peaceful dharna but the police arrived on the scene and stated that it will not be allowed.
There were 10 policemen and they asserted that the students could not conduct any protests.
Female students were also seen arguing with the police as they were not being allowed to stand together.
The police insisted that the crowd disperse but the students stood their ground and refused to go away. They all gathered near the gate of the university and stood with posters and banners.
They stood with posters 'EFLU stands with JNU,' 'Education is Equal For All' and 'Stop Privatising Education.' They also raised their voice against the institutional murder of Fathima Lateef in IIT Madras.
EFLU's joint action committee wanted answers from the administration as to why the police was called inside the campus when they had said the dharna would be peaceful. Why were the students not told that police will be on campus?
Why is the police being called regularly inside the campus? In October during a meet the police was inside the campus and they told students not to gather in large numbers.
The JAC demanded a written explanation from the university administration as to why the police is being called in the campus.
Students of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) held a meeting on Saturday in solidarity with the students of JNU and with Fathima Lateef.
They will be holding a public meeting on Sunday in support of JNU students at 5 pm.
