The executive council of University of Hyderabad on Thursday revoked the suspension of four Dalit research scholars.
The executive council at its meeting on Thursday took the decision even as the campus continued to be rocked by protests over the suicide of Rohith Vemula.
“After taking into account the extraordinary situation prevailing in the university, and after discussing the issue in detail, it resolved to terminate the punishment imposed on the students concerned with immediate effect,” a statement by the university said.
Five Dalit students including Rohith were suspended in November 2015 by a sub-committee of the executive council after their alleged clash with a leader of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
The students were expelled from the hostel. Rohith committed suicide on Sunday.
Vice Chancellor P. Appa Rao has appealed to “the university community to maintain calmness and harmony under the extraordinary circumstances prevailing on the campus and repose faith in the internal mechanisms to resolve the issue”.
He fervently urged all in the university to contribute to resuming regular class work, research activities and administrative work without further delay.
He called upon all the teachers, students, officers and supporting staff to rise to the occasion, the statement added.
Earlier ten professors have resigned from their administrative posts.
Reportedly, the professors belong to SC/ST community and on Thursday resigned from their administrative posts. The academics who stepped down from their administrative posts accused Human Resource and Development Minister Smriti Irani for giving false information to media over the suicide of Rohith Vemula.
#RohithVemula suicide case: Ten professors of University of Hyderabad resign from administrative posts
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 21, 2016
- The forum for Scheduled Caste faculty said that some of its members would step down from their administrative positions as a mark of solidarity with the agitating students. The forum members demanded revocation of suspension of four students who were punished along with research scholar Rohith Vemula over their alleged involvement in assault on an ABVP leader. Rohith committed suicide in his hostel room on Sunday.
- “We have taken a decision to lay down all our administrative position which some of our colleagues are holding…we are expecting some kind of decision from the authorities, if not done, we will be forced to do that,” Sudhakat Babu, a forum member, said.
- Meawhile the ABVP student leader Sushil Kumar, who has accused Rohith Vemula of assaulting him, said the ‘reason behind his suicide should be examined.’
- Vemula’s alleged suicide following his suspension has snowballed into a major row with BJP’s rivals wading into it and demanding the removal of Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani and Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya, accusing them of being responsible for the death.
- The agitating students are demanding resignation of Dattatreya, removal of Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile, Rs five crore compensation to Rohith’s family and employment to a member of his family, besides revocation of suspension of four students.
- Politicians from various parties continue to throng the campus. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy are expected to visit the campus on Thursday.
- Students have been sitting on an indefinite hunger strike from yesterday as a part of the ongoing agitations.
- Smriti Irani on Wednesday spoke on the issue and accused political rivals of attempting to “instigate” students on the issue and dismissed demands for her resignation.
- CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury, TMC MP Derek O’ Brien and YSR Congress President Y S Jaganmohan Reddy visited the university on Thursday and met the agitating students.