Classes resume in HCU amid boycott call by JAC

Classes today resumed in Hyderabad Central University after being suspended since March 23, amid a fresh boycott call given by Joint Action Committee for Social Justice (JAC) which is leading the protest on Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide issue. "Classes have resumed from today.... The Vice-Chancellor has also appealed students to attend the classes," HCU registrar M Sudhakar told PTI. The bail application of 25 students and two faculty members who were arrested after March 22 violence will come up for hearing today. A group of students, who were opposing Appa Rao's return as the Vice Chancellor after a two-month leave following the row over Vemula's suicide, had allegedly vandalised the VC's official residence and pelted stones on police. Later, the police lathi charged them and arrested the 25 students, besides the two faculty members. 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 had appealed students to attend the classes. "At this point in time the 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). "I solicit everyone's cooperation in resuming the academic activities in full swing from today to ensure that the end-semester examinations are completed as per the schedule," Appa Rao said. The students should think only about their career, studies, classes, minor examinations and semester examinations, and should not be deterred by any advice or persuasion to the contrary, the VC said. "You will get all possible support from me and your teachers in this regard," he added. The protesting students had demanded that the VC be arrested immediately as he was one of the accused in the case of Vemula's alleged suicide on January 17. Appa Rao had proceeded on leave on January 24 as the agitating students demanded his resignation and held vigorous protests seeking "justice" for the Dalit student. The JAC has demanded dropping of all charges against students, faculty members at HCU and elsewhere in the country and immediate removal and arrest of Appa Rao. Its other demands include "demilitarisation of the campus, action against police for the unnecessary and targeted violence, false detention, misinformation about the detained people and physical and sexual assault on women students and faculty, and introduction of Rohith Act," according to JAC's press release.