The Telangana Rashtra Samiti had consciously stayed away from the entire Rohith Vemula agitation at the University of Hyderabad, letting its police do the job. So much so that Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi travelled 1500 km to address the protesters at the University in January, but chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao chose not to travel 20 km from his residence to the University.
Which is why when the TRS government made its official presence felt at the University on the occasion of `Haritha Haram’ (the green plantation drive), eyebrows went up. The presence of University Vice Chancellor Prof Appa Rao was a red herring to the students who too had assembled in large numbers. Slogans were raised, for Rohith Vemula and against Appa Rao, with upset students questioning the government’s decision to invite Prof Rao as the chief guest.
Even though it has been close to six months since Rohith’s tragic death, the Union government’s refusal to remove Prof Rao has meant life is not back to normal at UoH. The latest flashpoint was the University’s decision to remove the portrait of BR Ambedkar, the banners and attempt to remove Rohith’s bust at the shopping complex of the UoH, which was the ground zero of the protests on campus.
Though the protests were targeted at Prof Rao, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao also came in for criticism for his strategic silence on the issue. “Which side are you on? What happened to the assurance that KCR gave in the Assembly saying he will ask the PM to recall Prof Rao as VC?” asked Arpita, one of the protesting students and member of the Joint Action Committee. The VC chose to exit the event, when things began to get out of control.
As part of the bid to create a record of planting 25 lakh saplings in 10 hours in Hyderabad, one lakh saplings were planted at the University. Organisers say when a record making event is taking place at the University, how can the the head of the institution not be present.
Even though one of their principal demands in the form of HRD minister Smriti Irani’s ouster has been met as a result of the cabinet reshuffle, the students want to keep up the protest even though the agitation has lost much of its steam. With no attempt to drop Union minister of state for Labour Bandaru Dattatreya or change Prof Rao, the Union government has conveyed to the students that it can go this far and no further.
