BJP wades into OU, UoH rows

Hyderabad: After Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, along with MP Eatala Rajender publicly supported the students of Osmania University and opposed the state government’s proposal to sell 400 acres of land belonging to the University of Hyderabad (UoH), the BJP presented a charter of three demands on Tuesday.

Addressing the media, BJP state general secretary Kasam Venkateswarlu said that the party strongly opposes the sale of the 400 acres and demands an immediate cancellation of the proposal. It called for the lifting of restrictions imposed on the Osmania University campus to protect students’ rights.

The BJP demanded the withdrawal of all cases against journalists, treating these actions as attempts to curtail media freedom.

Furthermore, the BJP leader condemned the arrests of BJYM leaders who were peacefully protesting against the sale of university lands. The BJP leader criticised Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s government for not exploring alternative solutions to resolve the state’s financial crisis, instead choosing to sell off university lands that should benefit future generations. Selling the land for Rs 10,000 crore raises concerns over the future of students calling the sale of lands a gross violation of the right to education.

The BJP noted that Hyderabad Central University (HCU), ranked fourth in the country, is often called the “Lungs of Hyderabad.” The university is home to natural treasures such as Mushroom Rock and Peacock Lake, which host hundreds of bird species. The party argued that selling land from a university with such ecological wealth is a destructive act, prioritising temporary profits over long-term preservation. The government, which should be safeguarding the future of students, is unjustified in its decision to sell university lands. Additionally, the BJP condemned the restrictions placed on Osmania University, which has historically been a hub for activism, calling these measures undemocratic.

The party raised concerns about the arrests of students at Osmania University for advocating the removal of these restrictions, warning the government against adopting a dictatorial approach similar to that of the BRS government under former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, which had implemented repressive measures and demolished Indira Park.

Lastly, the BJP accused Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjuna Kharge, and Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, of deceiving the public with promises of six guarantees during the Telangana State Assembly elections. Now, CM Revanth Reddy’s government is attempting to implement a “seventh guarantee” by using police force to silence dissenting voices, which poses a threat to democracy in the state, he alleged.