Student outfits condemn MANUU's move to expel 16 students protesting mess fee hike

Hyderabad: The proctor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) in Hyderabad expelled 16 students on 18 August for protesting against the mess fee hike. Following this, the students' union as well as other student organisations of the university have condemned the university's order terming it regressive.

"The students closed the main gate of the university, but the Vice-Chancellor accepted our demands and assured us that no action will be taken against the protesting students. One and a half months after the formation of the fact-finding committee, the university decided to take action against the students who were at the forefront of the protest, including very vocal political leaders and office bearers of the campus," said Umar Faruqui Qadri, the president of the MANUU students' union.

He said the decision was undemocratic and demanded that the university immediately revoke the order. "Students are not on the campus now. They have gone home for their semester vacations. This is also problematic as there are no students to show our resistance," he added.

On 6 and 7 June, around 500 MANUU students protested against the mess fee hike. "Usually, the mess bill is below Rs. 2,000. But in June, it rose by Rs. 700–800," said Umar.

He also pointed out that after the appointment of the new V-C in November 2021, dissent has been curtailed on the campus. "According to the UGC guidelines, students have the right to express their freedom. There should be a democratic atmosphere on the campus. After the new V-C came, there has been a suppression of students' voices. The V-C is refusing to meet the students," he said.

The students' union has sent a letter to the V-C.

Brother Talha Manan, the president of the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) of MANUU also condemned the disciplinary action taken by the administration. He said they did not expect such action from the university. "The protest was an immediate response by the general students. But the administration could not give any confidence to the students due to which the students decided to close the main gate," said Brother Talha.

MANUU administration had constituted a fact-finding committee and ordered a probe into the incident wherein the protesting students had closed the main gate of the university. The university alleged that the students had barred the entry of teaching and non-teaching staff and other stakeholders and had caused inconvenience to residents and delegates who had come to attend a seminar on the campus.

Based on the recommendations of the fact-finding committee, the proctor had ordered the expulsion of 16 protesting students and imposed a penalty of Rs. 4,000. He also stated that the students will not be given readmission, will be expelled from the hostel till the end of their course, and will be barred from contesting elections.