Human rights of students were never violated: HCU to APSHRC

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Central University today told the Andhra Pradesh State Human Rights Commission that human rights of the students were not violated during the developments at the varsity this week.

P L Vishweshwar Rao, spokesperson of Aam Aadmi Party's Telangana unit, had filed a petition before the APSHRC, alleging that HCU authorities closed the hostels and denied food, water, electricity and internet to the students following protests over resumption of duty by the Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile on March 22.

On Thursday, the Commission had sought a report from the VC.

HCU registrar M Sudhakar in his report before the APSHRC today termed the complaint against the VC as "false, motivated" and not reflecting the facts. None of the hostels were closed and not a single student was evicted from hostel, he said.

"While the VC is sparing no effort to restore normalcy on the campus, rumours, as mentioned in the complaint, are being spread to cause unrest in the University," the report said.

Demonstration by non-teaching staff led to the closure of messes on March 22, which were reopened by March 24. Water supply and internet facility were never disconnected but there was "temporary" disruption, the HCU report said.

As to the incidents of March 22, (the day the VC resumed his duty) a note submitted before the APSHRC said that after conclusion of recording of depositions of various stakeholders by the Commission of Inquriy appointed by the HRD Ministry on March 21, the VC rejoined on March 22.

"When the VC was holding a meeting with the local members of the Executive Council at the VC's Lodge (his official residence), a mob vandalised the personal property of the VC and that of the University besides manhandling and roughing up the security staff," it said.