Kancha Gachibowli land auction: Massive protest rocks University of Hyderabad campus

A large number of students from various hostels marched in a rally to the university administration building where they are currently holding the protest.

Hyderabad: Boycotting their classwork, University of Hyderabad (UoH) students on Tuesday launched a massive protest on the university campus against the State government’s decision to clear the forested land in Kancha Gachibowli and auction it for revenue resources.

Carrying posters and placards against the government’s decision, a large number of students from various hostels marched in rally to the university administration building where they are currently holding the protest.

In response to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s recent remarks “There are no tigers or deer in that area, but some cunning foxes are trying to obstruct development”, students carried a poster with a caricature of a fox that read “We are the Foxes, Our Den, Our Land, Our Righs”.

The Students Union, along with several other students’ organisations, has called for an indefinite protest, commencing Tuesday, alleging that the university administration betrayed the students by facilitating land clearing activities for the State government at Kanche Gachibowli and allowed a brutal police crackdown on protesting students.

Students demanded immediate removal of police and JCBs deployed on the campus besides written assurance that steps will be initiated to ensure that land is registered under the university.

The Students Union also demanded the university release minutes of the Executive Committee meeting held on the issue. It also wanted transparency in land related documents.

Meanwhile, amidst heavy police deployment, the excavators continued to clear the trees and shrubs besides levelling the land in Kanche Gachibowli on Tuesday. It was reported that 50 acres of land was already cleared in just two days.