HCU Land Dispute: Protests by Public, Students, and Celebrities

The escalating dispute over 400 acres of land near Hyderabad Central University (HCU) in Telangana has ignited a firestorm of protests, legal battles, and political drama as of April 4, 2025. What began as a government plan to convert this biodiversity-rich area into an IT park has morphed into a broader movement, with students, the public, environmentalists, and even celebrities rallying to protect what they call "Hyderabad’s last green lung." The stakes are high, and the voices are loud—here’s the full story.

What’s the Dispute About?

The Telangana government, led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and the Congress party, aims to auction off 400 acres in Kancha Gachibowli, adjacent to the HCU campus, to develop a sprawling IT park. They argue it’s a legal move, citing ownership backed by a Supreme Court ruling from a decades-long dispute that began when the land was allotted to a private company in 2004 for a sports complex, only to revert to the state after litigation. The Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) has been tasked with the auction, projecting Rs 50,000 crore in investments and 5 lakh jobs—an economic boon for a state eager to cement Hyderabad’s global IT reputation.

But the opposition is fierce. HCU students, faculty, and environmentalists argue this land—home to over 700 plant species, 200+ bird species (including peacocks), mammals like deer and wild boars, reptiles, and ancient rock formations—is an irreplaceable ecological treasure. They claim it’s part of the university’s original 2,300-acre allocation from 1975, a buffer zone vital for research and biodiversity. The Vata Foundation, an NGO, has pushed for it to be declared a national park under the Wildlife Protection Act, citing its status as a biodiversity hotspot recognized in past Supreme Court rulings like the Godavarman case.

Students’ Protest: A Campus Under Siege

The spark came on March 30, 2025, when bulldozers rolled into Kancha Gachibowli, flattening trees and rocks. HCU students, led by the Students’ Union (UoHSU), erupted in protest. By April 2, they’d launched an indefinite strike, boycotting classes and blocking campus gates. Tensions peaked when police clashed with protesters, arresting 52 students and allegedly using lathi charges—two PhD scholars remain in custody as of now. "This land is ours; it belongs to wildlife," they chanted, demanding the government scrap the auction and register the land under HCU. The university shut down temporarily, with heavy police deployment turning the campus into a fortress.

Public and Environmentalists Join the Fight

The students’ cause quickly snowballed into a public movement. Locals, environmentalists, and civil society groups like the Joint Action Committee (JAC) rallied behind them, warning that losing this green cover could push Hyderabad toward a pollution crisis like Delhi’s. The Vata Foundation filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Telangana High Court, demanding an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before any development. Over 22,000 people signed petitions, and slogans like "Don’t turn Hyderabad into a concrete jungle" echoed at rallies. Experts note the land’s role as a catchment area for lakes, critical for water retention in a city already battling urban sprawl.

Celebrities Step In

The dispute caught the eye of Tollywood too. Director Nag Ashwin, known for Kalki 2898 AD, tweeted, "Protecting this land is our responsibility," urging collective action. Tarun Bhaskar, another filmmaker, slammed the move, saying, "Destroying the environment for development isn’t right." Actors and influencers joined the #SaveHCUBioDiversity campaign, amplifying the protests online and drawing national attention. Their involvement has added a cultural heft to the movement, framing it as a fight for Telangana’s heritage, not just ecology.

Political Drama: A Three-Way Clash

The issue has become a political hot potato. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), led by K.T. Rama Rao (KTR), accused Congress of "green murder" and hypocrisy—pointing to Rahul Gandhi’s past solidarity with HCU students during the 2016 Rohith Vemula protests. KTR vowed that if BRS regains power, they’ll reclaim the land and turn it into Telangana’s largest eco-park, a "gift to HCU and Hyderabad." The BJP, meanwhile, tried to march to the site but faced police barricades and house arrests of leaders like G. Kishan Reddy, who hailed the Supreme Court’s intervention as a win for nature. Congress defends its stance, with leaders like Sridhar Babu insisting no HCU land has been touched and dismissing wildlife concerns as exaggerated—Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka quipped there are "no tigers or lions, just jackals" stirring trouble.

Court Intervention and Current Situation

The legal front has been a rollercoaster. On April 2, the Telangana High Court paused the clearing for a day, hearing PILs from students and Vata Foundation. The next day, April 3, the Supreme Court stepped in, issuing an interim stay on deforestation after taking suo motu cognizance of the "alarming" destruction. It ordered the Telangana High Court Registrar to inspect the site and report back, while grilling the state on the "compelling urgency" to raze trees. The Centre’s Environment Ministry also intervened, labeling the clearing "illegal" and demanding a report. On April 4, CM Revanth Reddy formed a ministerial committee to negotiate with HCU, students, and stakeholders, signaling a possible de-escalation. The High Court’s next hearing is set for April 7, leaving the land’s fate hanging.

More Layers: Ownership and Long-Term Stakes

The ownership debate is murky. The state says revenue records don’t classify it as forest land, and TGIIC claims it’s theirs post-litigation. HCU’s Vice-Chancellor has said the disputed parcel isn’t officially university land, but students argue it’s within their compound wall and historically tied to the campus. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urged Telangana to halt the auction and demarcate HCU’s boundaries clearly, hinting at Central pressure. Beyond legality, the stakes are existential—environmentalists warn of carbon release, habitat loss, and urban heat spikes, while the government touts jobs and Rs 10,000 crore base auction value.

Conclusion

The HCU land dispute is no longer just about 400 acres—it’s a showdown between development and ecology, profit and preservation. Students, the public, and celebrities have united in a rare coalition, backed by courts and opposition parties, to challenge the state’s vision. Will this land become an IT hub or stay a green sanctuary? As protests persist, legal battles unfold, and political promises fly, the answer remains elusive. For now, #SaveHCU is a rallying cry that’s only growing louder.