Hyderabad: The Students’ Union of the University of Hyderabad has been on a sit-in protest in front of the varsity’s administration block since Friday, voicing various demands, ranging from stopping the ‘communalisation’ of the campus to revoking CUET-UG and PG application fees.
The protest began days after the alleged removal of the University’s Dean of Students’ Welfare (DSW) after an RSS event was held on campus. The students have alleged that the removal of DSW, a Dalit professor, is an attempt to cover up the inaction of the administration and ‘its nexus with right-wing forces’.
A burden on the marginalised
According to the Students’ Union, after the introduction of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), in 2022, students are being asked to pay more than they can afford.
However, a university official remarked that the application fees have been there since 2018.
“The new candidates applying for the integrated and PG courses have applied through CUET after paying fees. However, the application fee to be paid to the University over and above the CUET fee is creating a huge burden on students coming from poor and marginalised backgrounds,” Kripa Maria George, general secretary of the Students’ Union, told Siasat.com.
“This spoils the whole idea of ‘One Nation, One Entrance’ that the CUET was supposed to bring about,” she alleged.
‘Admin colluding with the RSS’
According to students, there is rampant ‘communalisation’ and ‘Brahmanisation‘ of the UoH campus. They consider a recent “Gurupuja” celebration conducted by an RSS-affiliated organisation a sign of the ‘changing times’.
Despite not being a registered student organisation, permission was granted for a communal event on the campus, students alleged.
“It was found that ABVP karyakartas had taken permission in the name of Vivekananda Youth Forum for a Pooja,” Kripa said. According to her, the removal of the DSW has been done to cover up the inaction of the registrar and the vice-chancellor of the university.
The admin has also given silent consent to the RSS to establish its Shakhas on the campus, Kripa added.
Numerous right-wing programmes have been orgnaised in the university in the recent past, with right-wing ideologues like Rajiv Malhotra and BJP Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy attending one of them.
Mild tension prevailed in the varsity in March, when students protested against a programme held by right-wing think tank ‘Pragna Bharati.’ Then, an alleged RSS member showed protesting students a middle finger while walking in, to attend the event.
‘Remove registrar, bring new CoE’
The protesting students have also demanded that the registrar of the varsity be removed for his ‘Brahmanical‘ activities.
Students have attributed the spread of communalism on the campus to the inefficiency of the registrar, Devesh Nigam. Nigam also holds two key positions — controller of examinations (CoE) and registrar.
“It has been over a year since the registrar has been holding two positions, and till now the administration has failed to fill the position of CoE or at least appoint an in-charge,” Kripa alleged.
When contacted, a senior university official said that the students cannot demand removal of any statutory official of the university. However, he refused to comment on other issued being raised by the students body.
