Row erupts over ‘Sukoon’ in University of Hyderabad

The UoH administration said students barged into the Vice-Chancellor's residence at 1 am on May 18 and created a nuisance

Hyderabad: The University of Hyderabad administration and students’ union were at loggerheads over the conduct of Sukoon-2024, the students’ annual festival. The UoH administration said students barged into the Vice-Chancellor’s residence at 1 am on May 18 and created a nuisance after it had asked them to hold the annual festival after the varsity opens for academic session and not during the vacation. Students, however, said they were compelled to protest as the administration failed to address their issue.

The varsity administration on Friday issued an order to the students’ union informing them to conduct the festival, which was earlier proposed during the vacation period when the university is open for academic session. This, according to the university, was done so that there was equitable engagement of a significant number of students who may choose to avail themselves of the vacation period to visit their respective homes. “Moreover, the model code of conduct of the Parliamentary elections is in force till June 4 and the law enforcement agencies have also prescribed 13 directives for conducting this festival,” the UoH said in a statement.

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“After this order was issued to the students’ union, they barged into the V-C’s residence without notice. The V-C’s family, including his 92-year-old mother, are almost like being under house arrest and subjected to mental torture. The V-C and his family members were not allowed to leave the house. The V-C and the UoH Administration have alerted the police,” it said.

The Students’ union claimed that initially, the administration had asked students to conduct the festival after polling in the State. However, after polling, the administration denied permission for the festival citing ‘silly’ reasons such as exams and holidays, students claimed. “Students were in the administration building the entire day seeking to resolve the issue on Friday. However, the V-C and Registrar did not meet or talk to us. The administration denied permission for students but it scheduled a marathon on Sunday. As the administration failed to address the issue, we protested at the V-C’s residence from late in the night to early morning,” said Ateeq, president, students’ union, UoH.