Bhatti Vikramarka tries to control the damage in the HCU lands controversy

The controversy surrounding Hyderabad Central University (HCU) lands has put the Congress government in a political embarrassment. With the Supreme Court taking serious note of Revanth Reddy’s aggressive way of demolishing green cover and mounting criticism from all quarters, the Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka announced a series of measures aimed at damage control.

Vikramarka is an HCU alumnus

He directed police to lift the cases filed against HCU students who had been protesting the state government’s plans to develop 400 acres of land in Kancha Gachibowli, adjacent to the university.

Bhatti Vikramarka is an HCU alumnus himself.   He convened an emergency meeting on Monday with a ministerial committee comprising Industries and IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, alongside representatives from the HCU Teachers’ Association and civil society groups.

Emerging from the meeting, Vikramarka addressed the media with a tone of reconciliation, signaling the government’s intent to mend ties with the students and faculty.

ఎవరో ప్రైవేట్ వ్యక్తుల చేతుల్లోకి పోయిన భూమిని మేము కాపాడి, అక్కడ సాప్ట్ వేర్ కంపెనీలు తీసుకురావడానికి కష్ట పడుతున్నాం

మేము ఈ రాష్ట్రానికి ఏం చేసినా అది మంచే చేస్తాం..
– డిప్యూటీ సీఎం భట్టి విక్రమార్క#BhattiVikramarka #HCU #Telangana #RTV pic.twitter.com/O7r5s2AZIv

— RTV (@RTVnewsnetwork) April 1, 2025

Key points of Bhatti Vikramarka’s press meet

1) I have instructed the Cyberabad Police to take immediate steps to withdraw all cases registered against the students of Hyderabad Central University in connection with the recent protests.

2) We have also directed the Law Department to oversee this process to ensure there are no legal complications. These young minds are the future of our state, and we do not want their academic careers marred by this unfortunate episode.

3) The 400 acres in Kancha Gachibowli were secured by this government after a legal victory to protect a public asset worth thousands of crores from private encroachment. Our intention has always been to utilize this land for the greater good. However, we acknowledge the concerns of the HCU community and are committed to finding a resolution that balances development with ecological preservation.

4) We are open to visiting the campus for direct talks, but given the ongoing Supreme Court matter, we invite students to join us at the Secretariat for a constructive discussion.