Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday said he would see the draft UGC guidelines as an “attack on Constitution” and demanded that the Centre withdraw them.
Reddy, who said he is speaking to Chief Ministers of other southern states over the issue, vowed to put up a collective fight.
Reddy, who spoke after unveiling a statue of Ambedkar at the BR Ambedkar Open University here, also expressed strong dissatisfaction over the Centre allegedly ignoring the state government’s recommendations in selection of Padma awards.
Though Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Constitution, had outlined in Constitution the subjects in state, Central and concurrent lists, the Centre was now trying to take away the existence of universities from the state in the name of amendments, he alleged.
The Centre is proposing to appoint vice chancellors of Telangana universities from Delhi but how would those in Delhi be aware of the realities in the state, he said.
There is a “big cultural attack and conspiracy” behind seeking to have control on universities in the state.
He said he has “coordinated” with CMs of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala and would soon like to talk to his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu as well.
“On the occasion of 76th Republic Day, I urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We will have to consider your attack and the UGC regulations you want to change as an attack on Constitution. You are thinking of carrying out an invasion on us. If you invade on our people, our states and our regions just because you have powers, it will not yield good results,” he said.
“We will collectively fight,” Reddy added.
Observing that the state government is not ready to give up on its rights, he sought withdrawal of the draft UGC guidelines.
