SC asks for reports proving Maoist angle of Osmania University stir

The Supreme Court ordered the Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday to furnish the secret intelligence reports which prove that Maoists...

The Supreme Court ordered the Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday to furnish the secret intelligence reports which prove that Maoists had infiltrated the Osmania University student movement for a separate Telangana state.

Let us have proof to show that Maoists or any anti-social elements,whatever you call them,have infiltrated the student movement, a division bench of Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly said,comparing the Telangana issue to every movement started by people who want change.

The state government counsel,senior advocate Harish Salve,agreed to provide the intelligence inputs and notebooks on February 25 to prove that university students were being provoked by Maoist elements,who had entered their ranks.

However,he added that while the bench could peruse the documents,the intelligence data could not be placed in court records.

Those who want change swear in the name of justice and those who do not want change also swear in the name of justice. The courts have to decide between them, the bench said,also commenting that separatist issues like Telangana give politicians one more chance to share the spoils.

At a previous hearing on February 19,the Supreme Court had stayed an Andhra Pradesh High Court order to withdraw central paramilitary forces from the university campus,which has become a hotbed of the Telangana agitation. The state government had appealed to the apex court against the high court order.

When the Supreme Court bench on Tuesday sought to know the ground reality at Osmania University,Salve compared the situation to an emotional volcano and said the police could not take the risk of reducing security on the campus.

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A counsel appearing for the students body,however,claimed the entire campus was peaceful.

Challenging the high court order,Salve also contended that courts cannot dictate terms to the police,and say this force has to be used and the other force cannot be deployed,etc. This decision should be left solely to the discretion of the police.