The Hyderabad University is currently at the centre of a raging political battle between the ruling party, Congress and opposition over the controversial bulldozer action on land next to the university campus.
Several videos of the protest are doing rounds on social media in which police officials can be seen detaining student protesters. Sharing videos of the brutal crackdown, the Bharatiya Rashtra Samiti has accused the Police of manhandling, dragging protesters by their hair, assaulting them and detaining students in large numbers. The detained protesters were, however, released later.
Since yesterday, the students have been protesting against the Revanth Reddy government’s proposed decision to auction 400 acres of land in Kancha Gachibowli which lies next to the Hyderabad University campus. Yesterday, students gathered in large numbers when heavy earth moving equipment including bulldozers were brought near the University campus. The students are against the controversial decision of cutting trees, clearing forest land to auction the 400-acre land parcel near the university.
Incidentally, a journalist named Sumit who was covering the Hyderabad University student protest was also arrested.
As per reports, the Congress government in Telangana is now facing massive backlash for its proposed plans to set up an IT park on the land adjacent to the university campus and issuing a proposal to auction the land. A section of the university students have opposed this move and staged protests, citing environmental concerns.
On its part, the Congress government has argued that its plan is to promote investment in the state. It has also claimed that the land had nothing to do with the university.
Contrarily, the University students stated that they rushed to the site when they noticed bulldozers arriving there. Subsequently, they climbed atop the bulldozers while raising slogans like “Go back” and “Police raj murdabad”.
Slamming the Revanth Reddy government, BRS alleged that dozens of bulldozers were brought to flatten the land under police protection and the students who opposed were beaten with batons and dragged by their hair.
జుట్టుపట్టి.. ఈడ్చుకెళ్లి!.. విద్యార్థులపై విరుచుకుపడ్డ పోలీసులు.. పండుగపూట అట్టుడికిన హైదరాబాద్ సెంట్రల్ యూనివర్సిటీ 😥
⛔ హైదరాబాద్ సెంట్రల్ యూనివర్సిటీలో 400 ఎకరాలను చదును చేసేందుకు వచ్చిన అధికారులు. వందలాది పోలీసుల పహారాలో పదుల సంఖ్యలో జేసీబీలతో పనులు
⛔ అడ్డుకున్న… pic.twitter.com/9keAkktxvG
— BRS Party (@BRSparty) March 31, 2025
Taking to X, the BRS wrote, “Girls were crying that their clothes were torn, but they ignored them and took them to the police station. About 200 people were arrested. On Sunday, when the police officers started work to level 400 acres of land belonging to the university, they showed such harshness on the students who tried to stop them.”
The party also came down heavily on the Congress party and its senior leader Rahul Gandhi stating, “This is a market of betrayal and not mohabbat ki dukaan (shop of love)”.
The draconian police overreach in Telangana is alarming!
Journalists are being detained & dissenting voices arrested.
This blatant suppression of free speech & expression is unacceptable.
And @RahulGandhi goes to town preaching about democracy and free speech
The double… https://t.co/tRDPyndwc2
— KTR (@KTRBRS) March 30, 2025
Mohabbat Ka Dukaan at HCU today.
Kudos to @RahulGandhi & Congress sarkaar
You have outdone yourselves pic.twitter.com/NPZOqG7Uoh
— KTR (@KTRBRS) March 30, 2025
The Congress’ “Mohabat ki Dukaan” has now reached the Hyderabad Central University.
Students who were protesting against the Congress governments decision to sell off 400 acres at Kancha Gachibowli and journalists were arrested by the Telangana Police. @RahulGandhi goes… pic.twitter.com/WLI9bnX4SC
— BRS Party (@BRSparty) March 30, 2025
In its official response, Police said that only 53 students were taken into preventive custody for “obstructing government officials from doing their work”.
An official also alleged that some of the student protesters even assaulted the police adding that Police cases will be filed against them.
The University student’s union, however, condemned the Police action noting that they had only staged a peaceful rally in the area. It added that the students have a democratic right to protest and accused the police of forceful detentions and “manhandling” the students.
Amidst the raging political controversy around the alleged “auctioning” of the proposed land parcel, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had earlier denied the students’ claims, alleging that they were being instigated.
He had earlier claimed that the land falls under the city’s IT hub and that it has no connection to the university.
A university official also stated that the land’s ownership has been with the government since 1974.
