Hyderabad: Telangana University Contract Lecturers condemned the arrests of its members for organising a peaceful protest as part of its ‘Chalo Higher Education Council’ and said that the programme was successful.

The association said that a protest was organised at the office of the State Council of Higher Education to condemn the introduction of G.O. No. 21, which aims to recruit new faculty in the universities of Telangana state without regularising the contract teachers currently employed in 12 universities.

The protesters demanded that the contract teachers be provided job security, including (BASIC + DA + HRA + 3 per cent annual increment). “We strongly condemn the illegal arrests and house arrests of contract teachers who gathered in large numbers from various districts and universities across the state for this demonstration, beginning at 4 and 5 AM.

It is unethical to arrest principals and assistant professors under the leadership of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.”

The protesters said it is unfortunate that CM Revanth Reddy resorts to arrests when assistant professors advocate for their legitimate demands.

Dr Parasuram stated, “The previous government regularized junior lecturers, degree lecturers, and polytechnic lecturers. We meet the same eligibility criteria as degree lecturers. Now, “we face unenforceable conditions. Other states have regularised the services of contract teachers; why are we being subjected to these unreasonable conditions?”

Among the contract teachers arrested were Dr Parasuram, Dr Dharmateja, Dr Upender, Dr Kumar, Dr Kanakaiah, Dr Julasatya, Dr Nagaiah, Dr Narayana, Dr Pandaiah, Dr Venkateswarlu, Dr Tirupati, Dr Kavitha, Dr Reshma Reddy, Dr Vijayender, Dr Ravi, and hundreds of others from Osmania University, Kakatiya University, Telangana University, JNTU-H, Palamuru University, Dr B R Ambedkar Open University, and Satavahana University.