Event postponed due to ‘sensitive situation’

HYDERABAD: The prestigious Indian Science Congress, scheduled to be held in Osmania University (OU) from January 3 to 7, has been indefinitely postponed in the wake of ‘sensitive law and order situation’ prevailing in the campus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to inaugurate the 105th edition of the event at OU grounds on January 3. More than 2,000 scientists from across the world, including 15 Noble laureates in science from different countries, were invited to participate in the annual event.

“The event has been postponed indefinitely due to security concerns in the wake of some unfortunate developments on the campus in the recent past. Though we have made all the arrangements for its successful conduct, the law and order situation is also very important. Hence, the Indian Science Congress Association had to take the decision to defer it,” OU vice-chancellor Prof S Ramachandram told HT.

Last year, the ISC was held at Tirupati. Sources said the intelligence department had reported to the Centre and the ISCA that it was not advisable to conduct the

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Though we have made all the arrangements, the law and order situation is also very important. Hence, the Indian Science Congress Association decided to defer it

PROF S RAMACHANDRAM, Osmania University vice-chancelllor

event in view of the law and order situation on the campus.

The OU campus, which was the hotbed of the movement for Telangana statehood between 2009 and 2014, has been on the boil for the last few months due to unrest among the students against the Telangana government for not filling up job vacancies. Last, year, there were violent protests by students demanding jobs. The OU centenary celebrations inaugurated by former President Pranab Mukherjee last year were also lowkey with chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao refraining from addressing the gathering.

“A decision on when the event would be held again would be taken at a meeting on December 27,”Ramachandram added.