Protests erupted at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) on Wednesday after the Telangana government issued a notice proposing to resume 50 acres of university land, with students calling the move an “attack on public education.”
Under the banner of the MANUU Students’ Collective, students organised a rally from the Central Library to Bab-e-Ilm, raising slogans such as “Land Chori Na-Manzoor” (Land theft will not be accepted), and demanding the immediate withdrawal of the notice.
The protest follows a December 15 notice issued by the Rangareddy district collector’s office to MANUU Registrar Ishtiaq Ahmad, seeking an explanation within seven days as to why 50 acres of land in Survey Nos. 211 and 212 in Manikonda village, Gandipet mandal, should not be resumed.
The notice states that of the 200 acres allotted to MANUU in 1998, about 150 acres are covered by structures, while 50 acres remain vacant, which the administration has termed “non-utilisation.”
The notice argues that the land was allotted as prime government land and that unused portions are liable to be resumed for violation of conditions. It cites physical inspection reports and earlier proceedings. The university has since sought two months’ time to submit a detailed response.
Addressing the protest, student leader Talha Mannan said the move reflected a dangerous trend of treating universities as land banks.
“This is not an isolated administrative act. We have already seen how land belonging to the University of Hyderabad was sought to be taken away. MANUU students will not allow this to happen here,” he said.
He highlighted that delays in utilising land were due to bureaucratic hurdles, lack of timely funding, and dependence on agencies like the CPWD, and said penalising universities for this was “unjust and dishonest.”
Former MANUU Students’ Union president Mateen Ashraf said the government’s move was contradictory at a time when the university was facing a severe hostel shortage.
Mohabbat ki Dukaan @RahulGandhi ji
— Saud Mateen
Deal with your CM @revanth_anumula and sort it out whose eyes are now on MANUUs’ land.
We will not sit silent until the government of telangana takes back it’s show cause notice resuming 50 acres unutilised land of MANUU . #WestandwithMANUU pic.twitter.com/C8seLYNPq8(@SAUDMATEEN) January 7, 2026
(@SAUDMATEEN) “Hundreds of students, especially from marginalized and minority backgrounds, are struggling for accommodation. This land should be used to build hostels, libraries, and academic infrastructure, not taken away in the name of resumption,” he said.
The students also urged the MANUU administration to treat the situation as a wake-up call and initiate visible steps towards infrastructure expansion, particularly hostels, to counter the government’s claim of “non-utilisation.”
Former HCU Students’ Union president Ateeq Ahmad joined the protest and expressed solidarity with MANUU students.
The issue has also triggered political reactions. Union Minister G Kishan Reddy alleged that the Congress government in Telangana was working in “mission mode” to grab university lands.
“After HCU lands in Kancha Gachibowli, the government has now eyed the Urdu University lands,” he said.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar questioned whether the state government intended to “sell and plunder” university land.
Former minister T Harish Rao said in a social media post that the government had repeatedly targeted university lands over the past two years, raising serious concerns about its approach to education and research.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao criticised the move and emphasised that his party stands with the university and its students.
“Hello @RahulGandhi Ji,Are you even aware of what your government is doing in Telangana? Is this your idea of standing for education and minorities? “ he asked.
He further asked that “Is it fair to strip universities of land they need for emerging disciplines, only to feed the real estate greed of your Chief Minister? A responsible government should strengthen institutions of learning, not cannibalize them.”
The MSF MANUU said the proposal “raises serious institutional and policy concerns,” noting that the land is part of the 200 acres originally allotted for the university’s Hyderabad campus and cannot be considered surplus, and warned that the issue goes beyond land administration to questions of educational policy, institutional autonomy and public interest, adding that protecting MANUU’s land is essential to safeguarding its academic mission and long-term role in public higher education.
The Muslim Students Organisation of India (MSO) said “this move is deeply alarming and appears to be an act of intimidation and coercion rather than a genuine administrative exercise.”
“Any attempt to interfere with or seize university land is a direct attack on higher education, the promotion of Urdu, and the constitutional rights of minority institutions. Such actions undermine academic autonomy and threaten the future of students who depend on these institutions for education and empowerment,” MSO national campus Secretary Mohammad Yusuf said in a press statement.
The post “Attack on public education”: MANUU students protest Telangana govt plan to resume 50 acres of university land appeared first on Maktoob media.
