Hyderabad university students call off Kancha Gachibowli protest, return to classes

UoH protests

The students of University of Hyderabad on Friday called off their indefinite protest and boycott of classes against state government's plan to develop the 400-acre land parcel in Kancha Gachibowli.

The students' body, University of Hyderabad Students' Union (UoHSU), took the decision after the Supreme Court stayed any future activity till further orders.

The students have started attending classes from Friday, UoHSU Vice President Akash Kumar said.

The UoHSU and other unions and parties aligned with it had launched an indefinite protest and announced a boycott of classes from April 1, against the state government's plan to develop the 400-acre land parcel in Kancha Gachibowli, citing ecological conservation concerns.

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Telangana government to explain the "compelling urgency" for clearing a large tree cover on a land parcel next to University of Hyderabad, and stayed any future activity till further orders.

The Telangana government decided to constitute a committee of ministers to engage in discussions with the UoH executive committee, civil society groups, students, and other stakeholders to address and find a solution regarding the land parcel adjacent to the varsity, after the Apex Court's directive.

The UoH students welcomed the Supreme Court's ruling.

UoH Students Union president Umesh Ambedkar said the union would persist in its fight until the proposed plan to auction the land is scrapped and the entire 400-acre parcel is officially registered in the university's name.

The UoH students have also been demanding the withdrawal of police personnel from the varsity's East Campus (the site of 400 acres of the disputed land) and other parts of the campus and a petition has been filed in the High Court in this regard, Akash Kumar added.