Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao addressed the Legislative Assembly on Saturday on the subject of alleged police excesses at the University of Hyderabad.
The Chief Minister assured the House that an inquiry will be ordered, and that he will take the issue to the Prime Minister to resolve it.
“The government will inquire into the alleged excess use of force. If any police officer was involved, action will be taken up. I will take the issue (of the removal of VC Appa Rao Podile) to the Prime Minister, and I hope we will get a positive solution for this issue",” the Chief Minister said.
The return of Appa Rao sparked fresh trouble in the varsity on March 22, as a group of agitating students ransacked his official residence in protest, alleging that he was responsible for Dalit scholar Rohit Vemula's suicide and should step down from his post.
The Chief Minister also told the house that he would take all the necessary steps to ensure that such incidents do not repeat in the future.
He was responding to the demand by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and other parties that the house pass a resolution to urge the central government to recall Appa Rao as VC as his return to the university has created fresh unrest.
He, however, rejected the demand for passing the resolution, saying that the case does fall under the purview of the state government since the University came under the central government even though it was geographically in the state. He added that Rohith Vemula also belonged to Andhra Pradesh.
He added that the question of police excesses had to be investigated carefully since University security officials were also present wearing Khakhi uniforms. “So it is difficult to distinguish who is from the police and who belongs to campus security. If any atrocities are found to be committed by the police, appropriate will be taken,” he said.
“The JNU Student Union President came to Hyderabad to meet Rohith’s family and I was asked for permission. I clearly said no arrest will happen as we have no right to arrest a student who is just coming to express his solidarity for Rohith,” he said.
“But that day itself the VC released a letter that no outsiders will be allowed inside the campus and therefore he was not allowed to enter the campus. The Telangana government has not given any orders not allowing him into the campus. That was the VC’s order,” he added.
Watch the video of the Chief Minister’s speech here: