Telangana Govt considers police pullback from HCU campus, maintains presence on 400 acres

Hyderabad: Representatives from the University of Hyderabad Teachers Association (UHTA) and civil society groups met with a Committee of Ministers from the Telangana government on April 7, 2025, to discuss the ongoing issue surrounding the HCU Kancha Gachibowli land.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, and Minister of IT and Industries Sridhar Babu, along with Meenakshi Natarajan, AICC in-charge for Telangana, and Vamshi Chand Reddy, Special Invitee to the Congress Working Committee.

During the meeting, UHTA and civil society groups raised several immediate demands. They called for the immediate withdrawal of the police force from the HCU campus and the removal of prohibitory orders. They also demanded that the government withdraw all recent cases filed against students involved in the agitation and release two students who remain in police custody.

In addition, they requested permission for faculty and researchers to conduct a damage assessment and biodiversity survey on the 400 acres of Kancha Gachibowli land before the visit of the Central Empowered Committee.

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the students did not participate in the meeting, as they stated that the government had not yet addressed the immediate demands. UHTA and civil society groups also made it clear that they would only engage in further consultations once these demands were met.

An open discussion was held during the meeting on various aspects of the issue, with a focus on how to protect the environment and uphold the democratic rights of citizens.

In response, the Committee of Ministers explained that the police presence on the 400 acres of land is necessary in accordance with a recent Supreme Court order. The government also assured that it would write to the University of Hyderabad administration about its intention to withdraw police forces from the rest of the campus, contingent upon assurances from the administration regarding the security of students and campus property. However, the police would remain on the 400 acres of land.

Regarding the demand for the withdrawal of cases against the students, the Committee expressed its commitment to a sympathetic approach and assured that they would consult with the Police and Law Departments to provide the best possible relief.

As for the request to allow the faculty and students to conduct a survey, the Committee explained that due to the Supreme Court’s order to maintain the status quo on the land, the government could not grant permission for the survey until further court orders were issued.

The Committee also expressed its willingness to visit the campus, though they noted that the ongoing Supreme Court case made an immediate visit difficult. However, they invited students to meet with the Committee to address their concerns and suggestions.

The government acknowledged the other demands and suggestions made by civil society groups and UHTA and assured that it would act on them in consultation with the relevant groups.

The meeting saw participation from several key figures, including UHTA representatives Prof. Sowmya Dechamma, Prof. Sriparna Das, and Prof. Bhangya Bhukya, as well as civil society representatives Vissa Kirankumar from NAPM, V. Sandhya and K. Sajaya from WTJAC, and Imran Siddiqui from CWS-India.