25 students, 2 faculty members of HCU get bail, classes resume

All the 27 people--25 students and two faculty members of Hyderabad Central University (HCU)-- arrested in connection with the recent violence on the campus were today granted bail by a city court even as classes resumed after being suspended since March 23.
The students and the two faculty members were released on their submission of sureties of Rs 5,000 each, six days after they were arrested in the violence during which the Vice Chancellor's official residence was ransacked.
The court also directed them to appear before Gachibowli Station House Officer once in a week.
The HCU, meanwhile, constituted a seven-member committee to hold dialogue with the agitating students to restore normalcy on the campus.

The prosecution informed the XXV Metropolitan Magistrate court at Miyapur Court Complex here that the situation (law and order) is under control on HCU campus and they are not going to oppose the bail applications of the 27 accused.
"In view of the career of the students we have not filed counter. We have left the court to decide the case on merit. The arrest were made by the police in order to control the situation (on March 22)...Without having any personal grudges against anyone", the public prosecutor said.

The defence counsel urged the court to grant bail contending that the allegations which were levelled against the accused are absolutely 'vague' and there is no material to keep them in further detention, and hence, requested the court to grant them bail on personal bonds.

A group of students, who were opposing Prof Appa Rao Podile's return as the VC after a two-month leave following the row over research scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide in a university hostel room, had allegedly vandalised his residence and pelted police with stones on March 22.
Later, police resorted to lathicharge and arrested 25 of them, beside two faculty members. All of them were lodged in Cherlapally central prison here.
Cases were booked on charges of damage to public property, trespass, preventing government officials from performing their duties, and other relevant sections of IPC.
"Classes have resumed from today.... The Vice-Chancellor has also appealed students to attend the classes," HCU registrar M Sudhakar told PTI.

The classes resumed amid a fresh boycott call given by Joint Action Committee for Social Justice (JAC) which is leading the protest on Vemula's suicide issue.
On March 23, the HCU authorities announced suspension of classes for four days from March 23 to 26 in view of the situation prevailing on the campus.
The JAC had yesterday called for boycott of classes "on all the campuses" in the country including HCU, even as its Vice Chancellor appealed to students to attend the classes.
It has demanded dropping of all charges against students, faculty members at HCU and elsewhere in the country and immediate removal and arrest of Prof Appa Rao.

(REOPENS DEL47)
The panel would ask the JAC and the students' union to nominate two members each before starting the dialogue to break the impasse.
Chaired by professor B Kamaiah, Dean of School of Economics, the panel will submit its report within six weeks, Sudhakar said.
"At this point in time, students and the faculty members are concerned only about completing on time the remaining classes to be held in the current semester and the internal assessment tests (or minors)," Prof. Appa Rao said.
(Reopens BOM17)
Meanwhile, Vice-Chancellor Rao termed the recent
incidents on the campus as "painful" and requested the students to rise above anger, confrontation and sit across table to resolve issues.

"The recent incidents on the campus are painful not just for us in the administration but also thousands of students and many more thousands of university alumni across the world," he said.
"I and my team wish to lead by example in this area, with our willingness to be always open for a dialogue with all students. Let's work towards resolution instead of confrontation. Let's together build bridges than walls in this university," he said in a statement.
On the arrest of 25 students and two faculty members, Rao said, "It's very painful to see some of our students and a couple of faculty members spend time in jail. While I wanted to intervene, legal system is beyond our control and jurisdiction. I request the students to resist any temptation for violence on campus or anywhere else, as it would not yield any productive outcomes."

"Please restrain yourself from causing pain to yourself, your parents and the university. You have all other avenues to express yourself," he said.
Seeking cooperation from the students, Rao said, "I and my team will wholeheartedly support you in this endeavour (in resolving all issues through talks). Let's move ahead into a promising future for you and this great country."
Separately, JAC member Wasil V N said, "We will continue our struggle... We will not give up the struggle until Appa Rao is removed from the post of VC. We will hold discussions on future course of action."
Defence counsel V Raghunath said they will tomorrow file anticipatory bail applications on behalf of other persons who have been named accused (and presently absconding) in cases registered in connection with ransacking of the VC's residence and stone pelting at police personnel.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde said his party will meet President Pranab Mukherjee tomorrow and brief him about the state of affairs at HCU.
The former Union Home Minister said his party will fight for family of Rohith Vemula, a Dalit research scholar of HCU who committed suicide on January 17, till it gets justice.
Shinde, who earlier met the jailed students, sought to know why Rao has returned as VC even though he is facing charges in connection with Vemula's death.
Earlier, Vemula's mother Radhika met Shinde and sought his intervention to put pressure on the Centre to bring a law, 'Rohith Act', to end discrimination and protect students from marginalised groups in higher educational institutes.

She blamed Rao for the ongoing turmoil in HCU and slammed police for not arresting him.