By Tarique Anwar, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh): It was apathy or prejudiced attitude of Sri Vani Junior and Degree College in Malakpet, Hyderabad that the legitimate demands of the Muslim girl students, who constitute 75-80% of the student population in the college, had been ignored for long.
They were being harassed and the watchman would eve-tease. One of the lecturers of the college was also passing derogatory remarks on Islam for a long time back inside the class. They were demanding a specific place in the college premises for prayers. But the college authorities turned Nelson’s eye to their complaints and demand for protection.
So much so that when on this August 7 some 50 activists of Students Federation of India (SFI) entered the college demanding holiday on the day and allegedly attacked students and beaten them, the college authorities remained mute spectator. Four of the students were critically injured and admitted in a nearby hospital.
“Around 75-80% students of this college are Muslims girls. They were demanding to specify a particular place in the college premises to offer namaz but the authorities were ignoring this demand,” Amjedullah Khan, president of Majlis Bachao Tahreek (MBT) told TwoCircles.net.
Giving the details of the incident on August 7, he said that 50 activists of Students Federation of India (SFI) entered in the college premises on 7th August and allegedly beaten the girls.
“There is no security for Muslim girls inside the college. The girls complained about all these things time and again to the authorities but they were not paying attention to these things, Amjedullah told TCN.
When SFI activists attacked the college and literally beat the girls, the girls lost patience and demonstrated against the college authorities. On direct intervention of MBT the situation brought under control. MBT members along with their president Amjedullah Khan rushed to the college and immediately informed the police.
The police arrested 4 SFI workers who were later released after intervention of their leader.
It should be noted that SFI in Andhra Pradesh is supported by CPI (M).
The MBT has called a parents-teachers meet in the presence of police commissioner to overview the security condition at the college, said Amjedullah.
He said that it was very disappointing that when the SFI workers entered the college campus and started beating the girls, the college authorities did not take any action against them. They did not call the police either.
Amjedullah Khan talked to the college management, DCP (West Zone) and ACP of Sultaan Bazar to settle the matter. After his interference in the case, the accused lecturer has been transferred to another college and the watchman has been suspended. The college authorities have assured to give a place to Muslim girls for offering Namaz.