HYDERABAD: The University of Hyderabad would soon come under tight security blanket as officials recommended possibility to explore hiring Central Industrial Security Force’s (CISF) services on pilot basis, installation of adequate security cameras, swiping cards for students.
In a meeting which saw the presence of deans of schools, director, College for Integrated Studies, UoH Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao Podile and others on March 24, officials recommended a constant vigil on possible entry of media persons in the campus, and also directed that the university PRO be notified about media’s ‘illegal’ presence on the campus so as to deal with them appropriately.
“It was also felt that the university should not hesitate on the expenditure to be incurred on security. The university would soon discuss the requirements with security agencies and also explore the possibility to hire CISF services, on a pilot scale, at the earliest,” read a recommendation from a document on minutes of the meeting.
However, it is unlikely that CISF would approve the request of the varsity authorities, as it provides security cover to major critical infrastructure installations such as nuclear plants, power plants, space establishments, airports etc. The recommendations by officials also included ‘adequate security cameras, swiping cards for students of multiple utility’. A team of faculty and officers will deliberate on these logistics. Once worked out, it will be implemented at places where there is a single entry to the unit like School of Life Sciences, Computer & Information Sciences, etc.
It added that police outpost as per the mandate of the University Grants Commission (UGC) also needs to be actively deliberated upon.
Meanwhile, the Joint Action Committee for Social Justice-UoH said that the university is being run like a military camp.
“On one hand they crush our demands for increase in fellowships but are willing to invest in anti-student and unnecessary security equipment,” the JAC stated.
They termed the recommendation to spend money to employ CISF and private security as a means to impose surveillance on campus over the excuse of conducting raids in the hostel.
“This campus is supposed to be a public institution that upholds the rights and concerns of the students. Increasingly it is being run like a military camp that is concerned only about the security of Appa Rao and other complicit parties,” the JAC stated. They added that UGC’s recommendation mandating presence of police outpost in all university campuses was opposed by UoH students.
Varsity Bars Teesta, Three CPI(M) MPs From Entering Campus
Hyderabad: The main gate of University of Hyderabad was locked down on Thursday afternoon, barring the entry for social activist Teesta Setalvad, and three CPI(M) MPs. Teesta, CPI(M) MPs MB Rajesh, PK Biju and A Sampath, were scheduled to participate in a public meeting on the campus premises, organised by Joint Action Committee for Social Justice. With them not being allowed into the campus, the MPs and the social activist addressed students by standing outside the main gate. Addressing students of UoH sitting on either side of the gate, Teesta said the university has become the fulcrum of anti-caste movement in the country. “I would like to appeal to all people’s struggles across the country that we need to stand not just for UoH, but wherever such struggles are on, whether it is FTII, JNU, etc.” Teesta said, assuring they will stand with the students. The university officials said the MPs and the activist were not allowed as per orders barring entry of outsiders and politicians. Earlier, in a similar incident, JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar was not allowed into the university by the security personnel on March 23, though police gave permission for him and others to deliver a talk there.