Will visit Osmania University without police protection in December: CM Revanth Reddy

Hyderabad, Aug 25 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday announced that he will visit Osmania University in December without police protection and address a public meeting.

He made the announcement during his visit to the Osmania University on Monday, amid tight security by police in view of the protests planned by some student groups.

The Chief Minister inaugurated two new hostels and a digital library reading room, built at a cost of Rs 90 crore. He also laid the foundation for two more hostels and addressed a gathering of professors and students.

Revanth Reddy, who became the first Chief Minister to visit Osmania University in two decades, declared that he would visit the campus in December, address the public meeting at Arts College, and announce hundreds of crores required for the university.

“I am telling the Vice Chancellor and the police not to deploy even one policeman on the campus that day. Let students protest on any issue. We will give them freedom to protest. We will organise a public meeting in front of the Arts College and give hundreds of crores you need,” he said amid loud cheers from the students.

He also stated that if students tried to stop him and question him, he would answer them with all sincerity.

State minister Adluri Lakshman, Chief Minister’s advisor Vem Narender Reddy, MLC M. Kodandaram, Osmania University Vice Chancellor Prof. Kumar Molugaram and Arts College Principal Prof. C. Kashim were present.

The Chief Minister noted that Osmania University is synonymous with Telangana and was the place which inspired the armed struggle by peasants in 1938. “Any problem that arises in any part of Telangana is first discussed at the Osmania University. It teaches struggle along with education,” he said.

Revanth Reddy noted that former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, former Chief Minister M. Chenna Reddy, former Union Minister S. Jaipal Reddy and former Lok Speaker Shivraj Patil were all products of Osmania University.

Stating that the Osmania University has a great history, he said many of its alumni became IAS and IPS officers.

The Chief Minister said it was the Congress government which appointed the first Dalit Vice-Chancellor of the university. He alleged that previous rulers tried to destroy the university.

He gave the assurance that he would try to develop the Osmania University at par with the Oxford University and asked the university authorities to prepare a plan for providing all facilities.

Revanth Reddy underlined the need to make the Osmania University a research hub.

As the Chief Minister visited the campus amid tight security, the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) criticised him over the preventive arrests of students ahead of his visit and the erection of barricades on the campus. BRS leaders dared him to visit the campus without security.

–IANS

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