Hyderabad: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, strongly criticized the police for their actions against students at the University of Hyderabad on Sunday.
The students were protesting the government’s decision to auction off land belonging to the university. In response, police used lathi charges (batons) to disperse the protestors. The Union Minister called the police action “inhumane” and questioned the government’s plan to sell public land, asking if anything would be left for future generations.
Bandi Sanjay also accused the Congress-led state government of trying to rule through fear and police intimidation. He expressed concern over the security of university property and accused the government of damaging the reputation of a well-known central university.
He demanded that arrested students be released immediately and urged the government to cancel its decision to auction the university lands.
Earlier in the day, tensions rose at the University of Hyderabad when members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) protested the land auction plan. A large number of police were deployed, and officers allegedly entered student hostels and attacked students without warning. Many students were reportedly taken away in police vans. The ABVP leaders brought the issue to the attention of the Union Minister.
