Stand By Students Protesting In Hyderabad: Jadavpur University Students Union

Kolkata: Students of Kolkata's Jadavpur University have come out in support of the students protesting at the Hyderabad Central University where Rohith Vemula, a PhD scholar, killed himself in his hostel a month after he complained of caste discrimination against Dalit students like him.

"War has been unleashed on the student community at Hyderabad University... Students of Jadavpur University are in complete support of the movement going on at Hyderabad University," Shraman Guha, the General Secretary of the Arts Faculty Students Union, told reporters on Thursday.

Earlier this week, nearly 30 students and three professors were arrested for allegedly vandalising the office of the top official at the Hyderabad University, Vice Chancellor Appa Rao, on his first day back at work after a prolonged leave of absence that began during the outrage over Mr Vemula's suicide. The students blame Mr Rao for deliberate inaction after he received a letter from Mr Vemula listing a series of grievances about his treatment at college.

The students union of the Jadavpur University held a press conference on Thursday to announce their support for the protesters and demanded their immediate release.

"We demand the unconditional release of the students who have been booked. If anyone is to be accused of violence it is the government which has indulged in the institutional murder of Rohit Vemula. Identities of those involved in vandalism are still not known," Mr Guha added.

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Earlier today, a shoe was thrown at Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Kanhaiya Kumar who is also in Hyderabad to show solidarity with students at Hyderabad University. When Mr Guha was asked if Mr Kumar would be invited to Jadavpur as well, he said, "There are no specific plans of inviting anyone to our campus but everyone is free to travel and speak anywhere they like."