Students stage protests against removal of temporary structure

A section of students of University of Hyderabad Monday staged protests against the removal of a temporary structure erected to commemorate the death anniversary of Rohit Vemula, a research scholar who committed suicide on January 17, 2016 on the HCU campus.

"The students under the united banner of Justice for Rohith staged a protest at the administration building today demanding an explanation and reinstation of the portraits of the great leaders that were removed by the (Vice Chancellor) Appa Rao led administration," a release issued by 'Justice for Rohit', a conglomeration of various student bodies, said.

The students held a march from the temporary structure, 'Velivada' to the administration building demanding restoration of the portraits.

Defending their move to remove the temporary structure, varsity authorities said ithad fallen apart under weather conditions over the last three years and a section of the students attempted to resurrect it with fresh flexi material Saturday.

"It is that new material, along with other banners hung at different locations by other sections of the University community, that were removed by the University Security. It is unfair to link this measure to any policies of the University towards SC/ST students," the UoH said in a statement.

The University completely rejects allusions to or accusations of any systematic, institutional discrimination against our SC/ST students," it added.

The JFR members said protests will continue in various forms until the temporary structure was restored and Rao is arrested and removed from the Vice Chancellor post.

The suicide of Rohith Vemula, a PhD scholar at the University sparked nationwide protest and opposition parties had blamed groups affiliated to the BJP and RSS for his suicide.