Congress Demands KCR Clear Rs. 7 Crore OU Mess Dues

The Leader of the Opposition in the Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Saturday demanded that the Telangana government immediately clear the pending dues (by past students) to ensure the re-opening of the mess in the Osmania University.

Addressing the hunger strike camp at the NRS Hostel in the OU Campus, Shabbir Ali expressed regret over the insensitive attitude adopted by the TRS government towards the OU students.

Despite one week having passed since the closure of the mess in the university, the state government had not responded, he complained.

He said that the government was not concerned about the nearly 700 students, including over 300 research scholars, who would be forced to starve if the mess remained closed, as they hailed from economically weak backgrounds.

"Most of the students are socially and economically poor, and therefore cannot afford to spend money to buy food from outside," he said.

"When TRS Government can spend Rs. 10 crores to celebrate the Bathukamma festival and Rs. 100 crores to celebrate the first anniversary of Telangana's formation, why can it not spend Rs. 7 crores to waive off the mess dues?" he asked.

He alleged that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao was taking revenge against the OU students, who had protested against his failures and policies.

"KCR has developed a kind of allergy against students and farmers. He is systematically damaging the education system. Almost no university in the state has a Vice-Chancellor. The appointments are being delayed as KCR himself wants to become the Chancellor of all universities by amending the Universities Act. He is willing to spend money on non-productive things like celebrations, but not on students," he alleged.

Shabbir Ali assured the agitating students that the Telangana Congress would support them. He said that he would write a letter to the Chief Minister and others concerned to resolve this issue.

He also demanded the prompt filling up of the 60 Professor posts in the Osmania University which would fall vacant on June 30 due to the retirement of the existing professors. (NSS)