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‘Show proof of Maoists’ infiltration’
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Andhra Pradesh government to present “secret intelligence inputs” to substantiate its claim that Maoists had infiltrated the Osmania University, the hotbed of the Telangana movement.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Andhra Pradesh government to present “secret intelligence inputs” to substantiate its claim that Maoists had infiltrated the Osmania University, the hotbed of the Telangana movement.
“Where is the input of the infiltration on the campus? What is the proof available? We would like to have it,” a bench headed by Justice G.S. Singhvi told senior counsel Harish Salve, who represents Andhra.
During the hearing on the state government’s petition challenging an Andhra Pradesh high court order for removal of paramilitary forces from the campus, Salve said the forces were indispensable and could not be shifted. He contended that courts could not dictate the government on deployment of police and paramilitary forces.
Salve said intelligence input suggested that Maoists, who were trying to take control of the movement for a new state, had infiltrated the university.
But the court said it would like to examine the “secret inputs” to determine if the state was justified in deploying central paramilitary forces on the campus. “We can understand deployment of police force. But deployment of Rapid Action Force and paramilitary forces.... we want to know what is the secret input,” the bench said posting the matter for hearing on February 25.
Panel boycott call
The Justice Srikrishna Committee, appointed by the Centre to go into the demand for a separate Telangana state, will not find the going easy as students and some political parties have decided to boycott it.
The five-member committee headed by Justice Srikrishna has announced its intention to start the consultation process with various stakeholders at Hyderabad towards the middle of March.
The Joint Action Committee of Osmania University students (OUJAC), currently leading the agitation, has declared that it would boycott the committee. “The terms of reference of the committee is itself flawed. What can it deliver?” said a student activist, Santosh Kumar.
