Hyderabad: A controversy has broken out at Satavahana University in Telangana after a Dalit woman professor and a student were allegedly labelled as “Urban Naxals.” The allegation drew criticism from academics and rights groups.
Seeking immediate intervention, the Telangana Save Education Committee called the allegations baseless and detrimental to the academic environment. In a statement, the committee identified Surepalli Sujatha, Head of the Sociology Department and Principal of the Arts College, and Karike Mahesh, an Economics student, as those targeted.
According to the committee, a group of students submitted complaints to local authorities, including the district Collector and a Member of Parliament, while also circulating allegations in print and on social media linking the two to Maoist organizations, as reported by The observer Post.
Senior members of the committee condemned the allegations and stated that any move against the professor, despite her qualifications and responsibilities, would be unjustified and that any actions risked sending a negative message to marginalised communities within educational institutions.
The committee also expressed concern that the controversy could affect the university’s academic atmosphere, as it caters to students from rural, Dalit and Adivasi backgrounds. It also criticised the Vice-Chancellor for not responding to the situation and called for steps to safeguard institutional autonomy and academic freedom.
Courtesy : Vartha Bharati
Note: This news is originally published on https:/varthabharati.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights