Bollywood actress Richa Chadha has criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for destruction of 400 acres of forest land in the state. For those unversed, protests have been going on in Telangana against the clearance and auctioning of biodiversity-rich land in Kancha Gachibowli, located on the University of Hyderabad campus.
On Wednesday (April 2), Telangana police also resorted to lathi charge on the University students and faculty members as they escalated their protests. Some of them were also detained.
Reacting to one of the videos in which cops are seen dragging protestors towards police van, Richa wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), "Hey @RahulGandhi. Too much mohabbat. Have some mohabbat for nature also."
She also tagged the official X account of Telangana Chief Minister.
Actress Dia Mirza also criticised the land auction and urged authorities to save the forest.
She wrote, "Students are raising their voices for a future where nature thrives. Forests, not IT parks, offer young people a chance at a sustainable tomorrow. ‘Development' at the cost of biodiversity is DESTRUCTION. Save Kancha Forest in Gachibowli, Hyderabad🌳🦌🦚#SaveKanchaForest 🌱 #ForNature #SaveCityForests."
Protests by university students & faculty
A scuffle broke out between students and police as authorities barricaded the east campus of the university, where excavators were clearing forested land. Students chanted slogans like 'Police go back,' 'Awaaz Do Hum Ek Hain,' and 'Ladenge Jeetenge' while attempting to breach the barricades.
Later, police resorted to lathi charge on students and faculty. Meanwhile, the UoH Students Union, which called for an indefinite strike, staged an overnight protest at the administration building, bringing mattresses and sleeping there.
Students stated that the university registrar was expected to hold discussions with them on the land issue on Wednesday afternoon.
About Kancha Gachibowli forest land auction
Despite widespread protests, the Telangana government has cleared 400 acres of forest land in Kancha Gachibowli, Rangareddy district. The government plans to auction the land, expecting revenue between Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 crore, with proposals to develop world-class IT parks and urban spaces.
Students from the University of Hyderabad have been actively protesting against the move, citing environmental concerns.
Reports suggest that deforestation in the area could raise temperatures by 1 to 4 degrees Celsius and harm biodiversity. The issue is now in court, with a hearing scheduled in the High Court on April 7.
