On Friday, a huge protest erupted at the OU Arts College in Hyderabad over the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) paper leak row. Various student organizations held a ‘Vidyarthi Nirudhyoga (unemployed) maha dharna’ and demanded an inquiry by a sitting judge of the high court. The police cordoned off the entire university, and tensions were high.
The student agitators demanded a judicial probe or investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the question paper leak scam, dismissal of TSPSC chairman B Janardhan Reddy, and compensation of Rs 1 lakh for candidates who have to prepare again due to cancellation of exams. The protest will continue on Saturday.
Some students alleged that during and before the dharna, the police arrested whoever they saw on the campus, including hostellers who live there. Nagaraju, president of OU JAC, questioned the government’s actions and demanded justice for the students affected by the paper leak. He demanded a CBI inquiry or an inquiry by a sitting judge to ensure justice since the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is a part of the government.
The OU officials issued a high alert for two days – Friday and Saturday. The OU police arrested several students ahead of the protest, and a few protestors tried to set afire a government effigy but were detained. The protest organizers planned to hold protests across the state universities and district headquarters from Saturday and take out a rally from the Arts College to the Martyrs’ Memorial at Gun Park. However, they were detained by the police.
Overall, the protest highlights the frustration and anger of students over the TSPSC paper leak row and their demand for justice and compensation.
