Will Address Hyderabad University Students If Police Allows, Says Kanhaiya

As protests continued over the return of Hyderabad Central University Vice-Chancellor Prof Appa Rao Podile, student leader Kanhaiya Kumar arrived in the city to deliver a talk on consitutional rights and meet the mother of Rohith Vemula, a student from the campus who committed suicide in January after being rusticated from college.

“I came to Hyderabad to meet Rohith Vemula’s mother. I have also been invited by protesting students and Joint Action Committee to address them in the evening. If police allows, then I will address them", Kumar was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

"We have experience with JAC for various struggles and we will take this fight forward...this struggle will continue until 'Rohith Act' is implemented...to fulfil his (Rohith) dreams of social justice on the campus," he said.

It's unlikely that he will be allowed to enter the university campus, since the Registrar of HCU has written a letter to the Hyderabad police commissioner informing him that no political organisation, external student organisations, members of media or outsiders will be allowed to enter the varsity.

Kumar was due to speak at the University in evening and at a meeting on 'Constitutional Rights' at the Sundarayya Vignana Kendram, CPI national executive member K Narayana yesterday said. The JNUSU president would speak on the same topic at an event in Vijayawada this evening. The events are organised by student groups and AISF.

(Mother Radhika of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula with Prasanth Dontha, a student expelled from Hyderabad University, at a press conference on HRD Minister Smriti Irani's speech in Parliament on Vemula's suicide on February 26, 2016 in New Delhi, India. Photo by Virendra Singh Gosain/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

However, security has been increased at the campus after a group of students ransacked the official residence of Podile, protesting against his resumption of duty after having been on a long leave following Vemula's death.

Kumar, who shot to limelight after he was arrested on sedition charges, met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi yesterday and thanked him for his support to the JNU students.

Kanhaiya was booked and arrested on a charge of involvement in anti-national sloganeering on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus on February 9. The Delhi High Court today adjourned the hearing on petitions seeking cancellation of the interim bail granted to him for April 28.

A petition was filed in the High Court on March 15 seeking cancellation of his interim bail, saying that Kanhaiya had violated the bail conditions and made some objectionable remarks against the armed forces. Kanhaiya was released from Tihar Jail on an interim bail of six months on March 3.

Meanwhile, the police have told NDTV that Kumar won't be arrested in Hyderabad.

“I would first go and meet Rohith’s mother and brother. I came to Hyderabad on invitation of the Joint Action Committee, to ensure social justice on the campus,"Kumar said after arriving at the Hyderabad airport at 11:45 AM.

Express quoted Joint Commissioner of Cyberabad Police TV Sashidhar Reddy as saying that the situation was peaceful as of now.

25 students have allegedly been arrested after yesterday's violence, NDTV reported.

(With inputs from agencies)