HYDERABAD: If the University of Hyderabad does not revoke or reduce the suspension slapped on the 10 students, Yamrathi Sai Kumar, will lose the fellowship that he received from Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Department this May. Son of a daily wager and tailor couple from Guntur, Sai’s parents had pinned their hopes on their son and his education at the Central University. Their hopes were dashed when they received the text stating that their son had been suspended for six months from academics and hostel.
A fourth-year student of Integrated MA Political Science Sai belongs to the scheduled castes category and is the secretary of SFI-UoH unit - which, he claims is the reason he landed in the fiasco.
“I see it as targetting of students. How else can you explain that they could recognise eight of us from the crowd that had gathered there?” said Sai. He claims to have reached the spot much later after receiving a call from a student and had then tried to diffuse the tension. Incidentally, the first notice, that called the 12 students for disposition, had the name Povari Sai Kumar and a day later changed to Sai Kumar Yamrathi.
For Venkatesh Yerukala, the first generation learner from the Yerukala tribe the suspension letter became a source of embarrassment and worry. “Classmates asked me if I actually hit the officials. The other worry was how my parents would react,” said the PhD scholar adding that though they are illiterate they had to face a lot of hardships to provide for his education. His parents eke out a living by making baskets and brooms.
Athira Unni, the girl who was “discovered” in the men’s hostel on November 3, and is currently facing the two-year lossssng suspension might have to look for a part-time job to sustain herself in the city. The MA Sociology student avails the University Assistance that offers `750 per month to students from economically backward families. “After paying mess charges, I am left with just `1,000 with which I cover my expenses during the month. Suspension from hostel means I can’t avail this and my mother who is the only earning member cannot afford additional expenses,” she said.
Besides the impending financial concerns, Aithra recalls having a tough time trying to reason with her mother ‘why she was in a boy hostel in the middle of night’ or how to react to the warden asking her if she would be satisfied “if all the men in the university are allowed inside your ladies hostel room..”
Arpith Shanker, pursuing Integrated Language Sciences and found guilty by the committee feels the suspension will have an impact on the life of all the 10 students, particularly those on scholarship and the PhD scholars whose fellowship might be stopped if they are out of academics. “We will not relent or apologise for the false allegations the administration has dumped on us without even proper investigation,” he said.