Chalo HCU: Hyderbad univ students resume protest with fresh demands to remove V-C, pass 'Rohith bill'

Hyderabad: An indefinite fast launched by a fresh batch of seven students over suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula continued in the Hyderabad Central University for the second day even as agitators called for a ‘Chalo HCU’ protest march to press their demands. The stir resumed on Sunday after the previous group of seven fasting students were shifted to the hospital on Saturday following deterioration in their health condition after three days of hunger strike. A health check will be conducted for the fasting students on Monday, Dr Ravindra Kumar, a senior doctor at the health centre in the University said. The agitating students called for a ‘Chalo HCU’ on Monday and students from different universities in the country would gather in the campus here, their representative L S Biakani said. The main demands includes removal of Vice Chancellor P Appa Rao, who has gone on indefinite leave, and passing a “Rohith Act” to prevent suicides of ST, SC, BC and minority students in universities, he said. [caption id=“attachment_2597720” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Rohith Vemula. Image courtesy: Facebook[/caption] Meanwhile, Rohith’s mother Radhika was admitted to a private hospital on Sunday after she complained of chest pain, Ravindra Kumar said. She has been kept under observation in the ICU. On Sunday, the university put a notice on its website saying the vice-chancellor will be on leave and that Vipin Srivastava, the senior most Professor, shall perform the duties of the vice-chancellor. It did not mention the period of leave. However, the SC/ST Faculty Forum and SC/ST Officers Forum expressed “shock” over the decision to appoint Srivastava as officiating Vice-Chancellor and alleged that he headed the Executive Council Sub-Committee “which has been responsible for the death of Rohith” and was one of the “accused” in the suicide of another Dalit student, Senthil, in 2008. Meanwhile, a large number of policemen were deployed around the HCU campus. Joint Commissioner of Police Cyberabad T V Sashidhar Reddy told PTI, “we are verifying all those who are entering the HCU campus. There is no such restriction on the ‘Chalo HCU’ programme.” However, some students and others complained that the police were not allowing them to enter the campus. PTI

Chalo HCU: Hyderbad univ students resume protest with fresh demands to remove V-C, pass 'Rohith bill'

An indefinite fast launched by a fresh batch of seven students over suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula continued in the Hyderabad Central University for the second day even as agitators called for a ‘Chalo HCU’ protest march to press their demands.

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