Teesta Setalvad along with three Kerala MPs denied entry into Hyderabad Central University

Hyderabad: Three Kerala MPs and social activist Teesta Setalvad were denied entry into Hyderabad Central University on Thursday where they were set to address a meeting. Security personnel of the varsity did not allow A Sampath, M B Rajesh, P K Biju and Setalvad to enter the campus, which has witnessed strong protests and violence after Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile resumed duty in the aftermath of Rohith Vemula suicide. “University authorities have directed not to allow the outsiders, so they were stopped at the main entrance gate,” HCU’s chief security officer T V Rao told PTI. The gate was locked from 3 pm till 5.30 pm. [caption id=“attachment_2706214” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A file photo of Teesta Setalvad. PTI[/caption] The two MPs from Kerala and Setalvad addressed the students outside the gate, Rao said. “Students attended the public meeting on both sides of the main gate,” a member of the Joint Action Committee for Social Justice of HCU said. On 23 March, the varsity authorities decided not to allow any outsider, including media persons and politicians, on the campus. Reacting to the reports that HCU authorities had decided (at a meeting of deans) to remove “unauthorised things” at the shopping complex inside the campus, the varsity registrar M Sudhakar told PTI that the deans committee was a recommending authority, and final decision would be taken by the VC. Reports said that at the deans’ meeting, it was decided that the varsity should issue a circular that nobody should use the campus for installing statues, busts and other unauthorised structures. `Rohit Smaraka Stupa, a memorial for the Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula whose suicide landed the university in the ongoing controversy, currently stands on the campus. JAC members said they would oppose any move to demolish it or other structures (like tents) set up to hold protest.