Basara IIIT students resolve to continue stir

Nirmal/Hyderabad: The protest by students of Basara IIIT is getting intensified as talks with Endowments minister Indra Karan Reddy failed on Sunday. The students have decided to sit on 24-hour dharna. They have resolved to continue dharna throughout the night even if it rains.

The students, who have been on protest for the last six days demanding basic amenities at the campus, were seen sitting on dharna with umbrellas as there have been mild showers.

Their demands include improvement of amenities, recruitment of permanent staff and provision of infrastructure such as computers. Tension prevailed since morning at the IIIT campus when the police tried to foil the students' attempt to block the main entrance of the college.

Heavy police forces were deployed around the campus imposing restrictions on the movement of people since morning. Police prevented ABVP activists' bid to enter the campus and join the students stir.

College authorities claimed that the government is ready to resolve the issues in a phased manner, but the students were continuously protesting demanding immediate solution to their problems.

In a move to weaken the students' struggle, the management announced that those who want to go home would be permitted. Officials said that strong security arrangements have been made at the campus to ensure safety and security of the students.

The agitating students alleged that the government was not in a mood to improve the facilities on the campus and conspiring to close down the institution. The government was running the institution without staff for the past four years, they said. Meanwhile, State Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy held a meeting with the officials and reviewed the situation.