Interview: Some professors in Hyderabad University teach Naxalism, says ABVP leader Susheel Kumar

Hyderabad, Jan 20: After Bandaru Dattatreya leveled serious allegations against the politic of Hyderabad Central University (HCU) terming the varsity 'den of casteist extremist and anti-national politics', the ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) leader Susheel Kumar told OneIndia some chunk of professors in the HCU perform educational discourse on 'Naxalism'.

In a long telephonic interview Sushil contends that Bandaru Dattatreya's letter does not attach any significance to the suicide of a Dalit PhD scholar Rohith Vemula. "The minister just forwarded the concerns of the ABVP over the manner of protest held by the ASA (Ambedkar Students' Association) against the capital punishment of Yakub Memon.

The ABVP leader asked what was the need for the Vemula to commit suicide when the hearing was due the next day (Jan 18) to his suicide (Vemula committed suicide on Jan 17) on the writ petition filed in High Court (HC) by the ASA. Susheel demanding a fair probe into the suicide alleged that left-leaning professors are responsible for Vemula to slip into depression there by forcing him to end life.

ABVP and ASA clash

Susheel detailing the panning of clash between the ABVP cadre and ASA student activists said the ABVP took strong objection to the manner in which ASA protested against the death sentence of Yakub Memon and decided to hold counter protest at the administration building.

Susheel claimed during the conversation "ASA lads performed Namaz inside the campus and I have evidences to prove it. The ASA during the protests raised highly objectionable slogans," he argued. One slogan said Hay Yakub tere khoon se inquilab niklega ( Hey Yakub, revolution will gush out from your blood)

Susheel questioned, is this not anti-national? The AVBP committee decided to convene condemnation protest against the nature of resistance exhibited by the ASA and "we pasted posters in the campus". "In one instance in the tense situation I termed ASA people as ASA goons." This enraged the ASA.

Susheel further said on the day when ABVP resolved to hold counter-protest, as many as 20-30 ASA student activists stormed into his room in the dark hours, specifically in the mid-night at 1 am.

"The ASA people barged into my room dragged me out and they beat me forcing me to write an apology letter for holding protest displaying solidarity with the death sentence and for calling ASA workers as goons." Susheel elaborating the scene claimed that he requested the ASA to provide him five minutes of time span to discuss it with the ABVP committee members on the same.

"In the time given to me by the ASA I ringed up number '100', which connected to a local police station, Susheel informed. He added that the police did not arrive at the time, instead the college security landed at the spot and put Susheel into the security vehicle to avoid further altercation.

"The ASA people pulled me out of the van and forced me to write an apology letter and only then I had buckled to pressure as I had no option but to write the apology letter." Susheel said he was brutally assaulted and sustained major injuries and admitted to the hospital.

Petitions in HC

Following the incident, ABVP took the matter to the disciplinary committee ( HCU's statutory body). "Since I was being treated in a hospital after undergoing 'apprentice surgery' I did not able to present at the university during the hearing." The ABVP failed to provide substantial evidence on the episode.

The varsity gave a clean chit to five PhD scholars associated with ASA citing lack of evidence. "In the later days after I recovered, I provided evidences to the inquiry committee and the committee decided to take action against Vemula and other research scholars."

The ABVP also filed a writ petition in the HC as the action taken by the committee was not satisfactory. The ASA too filed a petition in the HC.

The ASA dismayed over the decision of the university demanded fair probe due to which the then Vice-Chancellor R P Sharma again to revisit the episode constituted Prof Sudhakar Reddy committee. After an inquiry it upheld the decision of the disciplinary committee.

Susheel argued that the decision to suspend the PhD scholars from entering the hostel was taken on Dec 16, 2015. The ASA did not turn up on the campus to protest till Jan 1. The issue was only raked up after Jan 1. This was because- some professors instigated the ASA to do the same.

Susheel pointed that hearing of a petition filed by the ASA was due before Rohith committed suicide. "Can't Rohith wait to attend the hearing? Why he committed suicide?, he remarked.

Professors teach Naxalism says Sushil

Susheel hurled serious allegations against some professors saying a few professors in the university teach 'naxalism' to the students. "Some professors say naxalism is very good. This particular discourse is what the ABVP is concerned about. Two years back a student named Prithvi was arrested for having links with a top naxal leader", Sushil stressed.

Susheel vociferously backed the letter of Bandaru expressing that Bandaru just forwarded the concerns of the ABVP and he or MHRD (Ministry of Human Resource Development) put no pressure on the VC. The suspension was just the outcome of the inquiry and his letter has no significance attached.

Susheel emphasized "a few professors who mislead the youths, engaging in the teachings of Maoism are responsibly for abetting the suicide of the Rohith Vemula and not Bandaru." Sushil alleged that some professors demotivated Rohith and his act could be the repercussion of that demotivation.

OneIndia News