GUNTUR: Four students of Acharya Nagarjuna University (ANU) were suspended from the hostel for allegedly indulging in anti-government activities. According to ANU officials, the quartet participated in a protest organised by the Joint Action Committee of Amaravati, along with other students at the university main gate three days ago against shifting of capital from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam.
Taking the participation of students in the protest seriously, ANU incharge Vice-Chancellor P Rajasekhar had issued an order suspending the four students from the hostel. Serving the suspension order on Saturday night, Chief Warden D Ramachandra Rao asked the four students to vacate the hostel. “As per the order of the V-C, the students have been suspended from the university hostel with immediate effect for their participation in anti-government activities. The issue has been referred to the University Disciplinary Committee to decide the period of suspension after seeking an explanation from the four students,” ANU officials said.
The suspended students Asirvadam and Naveen of Department of Journalism and Mass Communication and Raju and Edukondalu of Department of English left the hostel on Sunday night.
When the students sought revocation of suspension from the hostel, the Chief Warden advised them to make a representation to the disciplinary committee in this regard.
When contacted, ANU incharge Vice-Chancellor Rajasekhar said he would not like to comment on the issue, while Registrar Rosaiah maintained that he was not aware of it. Efforts to contact the chief warden went in vain. The four suspended students were also not available for their reaction.
The issue took a political turn with Telugu Nadu Students Federation State president Brahmam Chowdary demanding revocation of the suspension order. “The ANU Vice-Chancellor is acting in a harsh and biased manner against the students who participated in a democratic protest,” he said.
He threatened to organise ‘Chalo Nagarjuna University’ if the Vice-Chancellor failed to revoke the suspension order immediately. It is learnt that the student wing of YSRC is making efforts to resolve the issue amicably.
Guntur MP Galla Jayadev also condemned the suspension of the four students. “ANU suspending 4 students for participating in Pro-#Amaravati programme, & calling them Anti-Govt is highly condemnable. 2 of them are pursuing #journalism. 1st don’t they have the #right to peaceful protest? 2nd isn’t the role of a journalist to question wrong decisions of Govt?’’ Jayadev tweeted.