Hyderabad, Apr 4 (IANS): The Left parties on Monday staged a protest in front of Raj Bhavan here, demanding recall of University of Hyderabad Vice Chancellor P. Appa Rao.

Leaders and workers of various Communist parties marched to Raj Bhavan as part of their protest 'Chalo Raj Bhavan' to demand immediate removal of Appa Rao and condemn the police excesses on students.

Police stopped Communist Party of India (CPI) national secretary K. Narayana and others when they gathered outside Raj Bhavan. They were demanding that Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan should urge the Centre to immediately recall the vice chancellor.

The protestors were raising slogans against Appa Rao and the central government. There was an argument between police and protestors. It led to some jostling and mild tension.

Police arrested the protestors, including Narayana, and shifted them to the Goshamahal police station.

Earlier, talking to reporters, Narayana said the return of Appa Rao as vice chancellor created unrest on the campus. He held Appa Rao responsible for the police excesses on students who were protesting his resumption of office on March 22.

Narayana alleged that the central government sent back Appa Rao as it wanted Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP)'s domination on the campus.

He said Appa Rao was sent to the campus again despite the fact that he was booked under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act in connection with the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula.

The CPI leader said though a week has passed since Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's announcement that he will take up the issue of the vice chancellor's recall with the Centre, he has done nothing.

Narayana also demanded that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also should exert pressure on the Centre to recall the vice chancellor.