Tribal students body in UoH refuse to call off hunger strike

HYDERABAD: The relay hunger strike by the members of Tribal Students Forum at University of Hyderabad (UoH) entered third day on Thursday with no sign of the protest abating. Officials from the university administration met the students appealing to them to withdraw their strike. The administration wanted the students to stop the agitation and wait for the outcome of inquiry report after following due institutional processes. Students, on the other hand, are demanding that the varsity should declare campus election results immediately. 

Naresh Lunavath, member of Tribal Students’ Forum (TSF) contested the campus elections held in September. As the nominee of the Alliance of Social Justice, of which TSF is an ally, Lunavanth won the election and was to be declared elected as vice-president of the campus students union. However, the university withheld the result of the election following allegations by Akhil Bharathiya Vidyarthi Parishad that Lunavath had less than 75 per cent attendance as required by norms. In response to the allegation, the varsity withheld the campus election results for the post.

This was followed by students belonging to TSF going on a relay hunger strike which started on Monday. The varsity now awaits a report from the retired HC judge and hopes to resolve the issue before the beginning of end-semester examinations. It hopes to resolve the matter by taking suggestions from the retired judge. “The retired judge will be handed over records and documents pertaining to the elections.

A committee has been constituted to examine the attendance records of the School of Medical Sciences to which Lunavath belongs,” said officials. On Thursday, Sundar Rathod, president of TSF, claimed that he has all evidence to prove Naresh’s healthy attendance status.