Hyderabad Central University, which witnessed unprecedented disturbance following the suicide of Rohit Vemula, functioned normally on Monday.
“Classes resumed . Administration revived. It is business as usual” a JAC spokesperson said.
“We have set a deadline of ten days to union government to meet our demands. We will continue our agitation in the form of relay hunger strike and organising seminars and rallies peacefully. People from outside also have come to express solidarity to our agitation. (VC) Professor Appa Rao should go. There is no change in that demand,” he said.
SC/ST Faculty Forum convener Sudhakar Babu said they (teachers) had attended classes at the request by in-charge Vice Chancellor M Periasamy. They said all those professor who quit their administrative responsibilities had resumed their positions.
Earlier, as many as 15 professors had rsigned from their administrative duties in protest against appointment of Vipin Srivastava as officiating vice chancellor.
Acting VC Prof. Periasamy yesterday held a meeting with representatives of Join Action Committee for Social Justice and discussed the demands put forward by the student body.
Periasamy took charge of the varsity after in-charge VC Vipin Srivastava proceeded on leave on Saturday amid protests over his appoitnment.
Srivastava was given charge after the regular VC, Appa Rao Podile, went on leave following the row over Vemula’s suicide.
The agitating students earlier said they would not accept Srivastava, who was the sub-committee chairman that barred the five Dalit students including Vemula from accessing hostel facilities, as in-charge VC.
The HCU sailed through rough weathers with agitations ever since Vemula committed suicide in a hostel room on the campus on January 17.
He was one of the five students suspended from using hostel facilities for their alleged role in a case related to the attack of ABVP leader N Susheel Kumar.
Subsequently, after Vemula’s suicide, the university terminated the suspension of the four students.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi visited the campus twice while Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy, CPI(M) general Secretary Sitaram Yechury, YSRCP chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy, MIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, representatives from BSP and TMC visited the campus to express solidarity with the protesters.
