Hyderabad: The University administration has issued show-cause notices to six non-teaching staffs for taking part in what it terms as the "illegal" 'OBC Satyagraha' which has been organized by the All India Other Backward Caste Students Association (AIOBCSA).
A Ravi, General Secretary of Staff union, elected body of non-teaching employees in UoH spoke with Madhyamam asserting their "complete right" to hold protests.
"We have demanded the withdrawal the notices immediately," he said. "We did not get the opportunity to talk with admin enough because of the show cause notices...If this is their course of action, we will go for a hunger strike. They are threatening us and other organizations who are extending support to the protest. Within three days if we have not responded to University's notice, we might lose our job. This is highly condemnable"
The relay strike that started on December 24 demanded proper implementation of reservation for OBCs in MPhil, PhD admissions as well as faculty recruitment. Groups like the Elected Non-Teaching Staff Union, OBC Employees Association and University of Hyderabad Teachers Association (UHTA) in Hyderabad University have extended their support to students.
Apart from Hyderabad University's OBC organizations, the ongoing protest has received solidarity from AIOBC Students Association in Pondicherry University.
"We are working for OBC students' issues. The serious violation of reservation policy done by University administration is visible," said Deepan M, National Secretary of AIOBCSA and Coordinator of AIOBCSA Puducherry in conversation with Madhyamam.
"…Many OBC students got rejected in Hyderabad University because of improper reservation policy. All their demands are necessary for the upliftment of OBCs in academic spaces"" Deepan added.
Currently, four students are going on a hunger strike in OBC Satyagraha. AIOBCSA in Hyderabad University decides to continue the protest till the demands are met.