KTR assures support to HCU students in their stir
Hyderabad: The BRS on Monday criticised the Congress government for the “brutal suppression” of students from Hyderabad Central University who have been fighting for the past few days to protect 400 acres of land, that is a lung space for the fast-growing western part of Hyderabad.
Party working president K.T. Rama Rao, speaking with reporters after a delegation of representatives from various HCU student unions called on him at Telangana Bhavan, condemned the government’s actions.
Students highlighted the state government’s alleged attempts to seize 400 acres of university land under the pretext of development. Rama Rao assured them of BRS’s support and accused Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s administration of prioritising real estate profits over the welfare of students, the environment, and Hyderabad’s future.
Rama Rao said it was shocking to see hundreds of bulldozers and heavy machinery razing trees and displacing wildlife on HCU land. “Why is the state in such a hurry to grab this land? What is the rush to turn a green haven into a concrete jungle worth Rs 30,000 crore?” he asked.
“HCU and its surrounding areas are among the last green lungs of this part of the city. Destroying them without an Environmental Impact Assessment is a crime against Hyderabad’s future. Are we heading towards a Delhi-like situation where breathing becomes a luxury?” Rama Rao asked.
Rahul Gandhi, he said, was very vocal against destruction of Aarey forests in Mumbai and Hasdeo forests in Chhattisgarh. “He visited HCU twice in the past, yet today, when his own party’s government is brutalizing students and wrecking the environment, he remains silent. Rahul Gandhi, can you not hear the cries of the wildlife being crushed under bulldozers? Don’t the visuals of students getting dragged and beaten reach you? Where is your commitment to democracy and the environment now?” Rama Rao asked.
