Unnerved by the snowballing students’ agitation for a separate Telangana, the state government has ordered that all educational institutions except schools in Telangana districts be closed for 15 days from Friday.
Government, aided and private junior, polytechnic, degree and university colleges besides MBA, MCA, pharmacy, law and engineering colleges will remain closed till December 18. The higher education department issued orders in this regard following directions from the Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah.
Students have been in the forefront of the agitation for separate Telangana in all the 10 districts with university campuses in state capital and Warangal being the nerve centres. “All the schools in government and private sector will function normally,” said the director of school education, Ms Poonam Malakondaiah. However, the government move only raised tempers in Osmania University campus.
Close on the heels of the government orders, the OU authorities issued a statement announcing the closure of hostels on the campus and constituent colleges and asking the boarders to vacate them. However, the Telangana Students Joint Action Committee opposed the move to close hostels and messes.
Significantly, faculty members of the university also came out in support of students and tried to persuade the vice-chancellor to withdraw the decision. They offered to provide food to the students if the government was keen on closing hostels.
Several ministers from Telangana also opposed the closure of hostels stating that it would further escalate tensions when the home minister, Ms P. Sabita Indra Reddy, met them to discuss the issue. The home minister also had reservations about announcing holidays. On the instructions of the Chief Minister, K. Rosaiah, the home minister convened a meeting of ministers from Telangana.
However, not all ministers attended it and those who did expressed doubts as to whether the students would allow the hostels to be closed. All the universities in the city have postponed their examinations, cancelled their seminars, conferences and classes scheduled for the next 15 days. The OU has once again postponed the semester examinations and will announce a fresh schedule in a few days.
Meanwhile, the Joint Action Committee of students union have decided to carry out an Assembly Chalo on December 10, if the government fails to move a resolution on Telangana and urge the Centre to initiate the the process of formation a separate Telangana state.
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