Hyderabad Central University professors K.Y. Ratnam and Tatagatha Sengupta, who were arrested on vandalism charges in connection with protests over Rohith Vemula suicide issue, shared their ordeal with students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University on Tuesday evening. They alleged that Hyderabad Central University vice-chancellor Appa Rao Podile’s return to the campus was a planned move.
Both the professors, who were granted bail along with 27 students last week in a case of vandalism and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, were in JNU to express solidarity with the students who were caught in a parallel controversy during the Rohith Vemula movement.
Prof. Sengupta spoke about the police action on students in the Hyderabad University while participating in a panel discussion on “Caste and Higher education at JNU” that went on till late night.
He also termed the rejoining of vice-chancellor Appa Rao, two months after he had gone on leave following widespread protests and condemnation of his role in the suspension of five dalit students and the subsequent suicide of Vemula, a well-planned move. The panel discussion also included Delhi University and JNU professors besides JNU students union members Shehla Rashid Shora and Rama Naga, who led a movement against arrest of JNU students in a sedition case.
The JNU students have been agitating in connection with the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula who was found hanging at the Hyderabad Central University’s hostel room on January 17. The JNU students had petitioned the President followed by a meeting with the NHRC officials and submitting a memorandum over the alleged crackdown and arrest of students in the Hyderabad Central University while demanding concrete action against its vice-chancellor.
