 "What is Hyderabad University land row & why are Congress and BRS fighting?")
A major controversy has erupted in Telangana over the proposed auction of 400 acres of land near Hyderabad Central University. Students and environmental activists are opposing the state government’s decision to clear the land for an IT park. The matter has now been brought before the High Court for the State of Telangana, which is set to hear the case on Wednesday. The legal dispute is expected to persist.
Why the controversy?
The dispute is decades old. The Hyderabad Central University claims that the 400 acres are part of the 2,324 acres allotted to it in 1975. However, the High Court ruled in 2022 that there was no legal document proving the transfer of this land to the university. The Supreme Court later upheld this decision, confirming that the government owns the land.
Despite this ruling, students and environmentalists argue that the land is an ecologically sensitive zone. They claim it is home to over 455 species of flora and fauna, including peacocks, buffalo lakes, and mushroom rocks. Activists from the Vata Foundation, an NGO, have filed a petition demanding that the land be declared a national park under the Wildlife (Protection) Act. They want it to be granted ‘deemed forest’ status.
Legal battle in High Court
According to the reports, the case reached the High Court on Tuesday when students filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to stop the government’s land allotment to Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC). The High Court will hear both the students’ petition and an earlier petition by Vata Foundation.
Meanwhile, the Telangana government has started clearing the land. Protesters allege that bulldozers and earthmovers have been deployed, trees are being cut, and rocks are being removed. The university students launched protests, saying they were being forcefully removed by police. ALSO READ | Waqf Bill to be introduced in Parliament today: All you need to know
Congress and BRS political faceoff
The land issue has also turned into a political battle. Former Deputy Chief Minister of Telangana KT Rama Rao and leader of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) accused the Congress government of destroying Hyderabad’s last ‘green lungs’, according to a report by NDTV.
“HCU and its surrounding areas are among the last green lungs of this part of the city. Destroying them without an Environmental Impact Assessment is a crime against Hyderabad’s future,” he said.
Criticising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he said, “This is brazen green murder by destroying 400 acres of precious lung space in western Hyderabad. If you don’t speak up now, it’s on you, Rahul Gandhi.”
The Congress-led Telangana government, on the other hand, has defended its move, saying the land was originally allotted to a private company in 2004 under the then-Chandrababu Naidu-led government. After a legal battle, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the state. “A survey has revealed that not even a single inch of land belongs to the University of Hyderabad," the government stated.
The Congress government also accused the opposition of politicising the issue. It insisted that the project balances development and environmental sustainability. “Those opposing the project have vested interests and are misleading students,” the government said.
University’s response
The Hyderabad Central University rejected the government’s claim that a survey was conducted to demarcate the land. Registrar Devesh Nigam stated, “The University of Hyderabad has been requesting the state government for alienation of its land. The University will forward the representations of the stakeholders to the State government to reconsider the points raised and request the state government to conserve the environment and biodiversity in the area.”
Controversy over arrests
The protests have led to clashes with the police. Two students were arrested, among 53 “preventive arrests”. The opposition BRS accused the police of using excessive force, dragging students by their hair, and beating them. The police, however, denied any lathi charge and said the arrested individuals were not current students of Hyderabad Central University.