Hyderabad, March 29: Students of Hyderabad Central University (HCU) staged a protest on Saturday evening, burning an effigy of Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. The demonstration was in response to the state government’s decision to auction 400 acres of the university’s land in Kancha Gachibowli.
Despite heavy police deployment on campus, students gathered at the university’s main entrance, chanting slogans such as “Police go back” and “This land is ours.” At one point, the police attempted to seize the effigy, but the students continued their protest undeterred.
HCU students criticized the government’s move, alleging that auctioning the land amounts to a betrayal of public education. They also targeted the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress party, for maintaining silence on the issue.
Government’s Stand on the Land Auction
The Telangana government maintains that auctioning the land will generate substantial revenue, contributing to infrastructure development. Estimates suggest that the auction of land in Kancha Gachibowli could bring in around Rs 20,000 crore.
The University of Hyderabad (UoH) was initially allotted 2,300 acres when it was established in 1974. However, 400 acres were later allocated to IMG Academies Bharata. Following IMG’s failure to meet its obligations, the state government revoked the allotment, leading to a prolonged legal battle. The latest decision to auction the land follows the state government’s legal victory over IMG Academies Bharata.
As tensions persist, the student community remains firm in its opposition, calling for the government to reconsider its decision.
