Protesting the emergency like situation on the campus of University of Hyderabad, members of SC and ST faculty forum and other like-mined faculty from various departments went on a mass casual leave on Tuesday. Even though the court granted the bail to the students and two professors, arrested in connection with attack on VC residence, the situation remained tense on the campus. The campus has turned into a disturbed area ever since vice chancellor Prof Apparao Podile resumed office after two-month long leave on March 22.
Writing a letter to the vice-chancellor Apprao, the faculty members recalled how the police presence and their hostile attitude towards students disturbed the academic atmosphere on the campus. They also said the police resorted disproportionate show of force on the protesting students and even on neutral by standers. They expressed their dismay that the university administration did not make any alternative arrangements to ameliorate the distressing situation prevailing on the campus.
The faculty members have decided to go on a mass leave against the atrocities done against the students and also against the continued denial of justice to Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula.
Meanwhile, a public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in High Court urging the court to direct the University Hyderabad to appoint an independent committee to work for the restoration of peace and order on the campus. The petition, filed by professor Gali Vinod Kumar, principal of PG College of Law, Osmania University, sought direction to form an independent committee to hold talks with students, the university management and the police to help resolve all the issues. Admitting the PIL, the High Court issued notices to vice-chancellor, registrar, Cyberabad police commissioner and leaders of students union, returnable in two weeks.
