Centre, State destroying democratic right of protest: TPCC

TPCC Chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy has alleged that the State and Central governments were destroying democratic right of protest of the people.

The TPCC organised protest in front of the main gate of the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) here on Saturday demanding that action be taken against Union Ministers Bandaru Dattatreya and Smrithi Irani and HCU VC Appa Rao. The police took the Congress leaders into custody for staging a dharna in front of the main gate of the University, and shifted them to Chandanagar Police Station.

Speaking on the occasion, Uttam Kumar alleged that the “atrocious rule” was going on in the Central University. A student committed suicide when the State and Central governments failed to respond to the social boycott of five Dalit students, including Rohit Vemula, imposed by the University authorities. He said both the governments failed to check atrocities taking place in the Central university though the AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi visited HCU twice to expose the issue. He said the police arrested the Congress leaders, who tried to stage a dharna in solidarity with Rahul Gandhi’s Deeksha inside the University along with the students.

Demanding that the government suspend Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao and oust Union ministers Bandaru Dattatreya and Smrithi Irani from their posts immediately, he alleged that the BJP government was trying to saffronize the education across the nation and polluting the universities by injecting politics into universities.

Leader of the Opposition in the Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir, AICC Minority Cell Chairman Kurshid Ahmed, MLAs Rammohan Reddy, Sampath, former Minister D Sridhar Babu, former MP Mallu Ravi, former MLAs Arepally Mohan and Gandra Venkatramana Reddy and Addanki Dayakar were among the leaders arrested by the police. (NSS)