I reached the meeting point near the Department of Economics at around 10:30 pm. A huge gathering of students was already present.
Unmarried from blazing heat, the reaction was very high. The students started shouting slogans against bulldozing and shouting slogans to save mushroom rock. Placards and Tamborin became an integral part of our opposition.
At 11:00 am, the students progressed in a marching order towards Mushroom Rock, as they changed through the campus as the slogan of “HCU Land from HCU Land” and “Save Mushroom Rock”.
As soon as we reached the site, the scale of protest became more clear.
Hundreds of students had gathered – and the atmosphere was one of willpower and comrade. The union of the students installed a temporary tent to provide shadow along with provisions of water and food.
Leaders of the student union including the President, Vice President, General Secretary and Joint Secretary addressed the gathering one after the other. His speeches were mostly aimed at the government’s decision, which he classified as “the land disguised as development”. He raised his voice against the lack of attraction in the process and questioned the motive behind such environment and targeting such an environment and ecological sensitive area.
The students then planted saplings on the disputed land, emphasizing their determination to maintain the ecological poetry of the region. A banner was also wrapped around the mushroom rock, claiming the ownership of land by Hyderabad Central University.
