Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
Highlights
- Fresh row erupted in Hyderabad after Rahul Gandhi was denied entry into Osmania University.
- OU said permission has been denied due to resolution not to allow any political activities on campus
- Party cadre staged a protest against the denial and claimed foul play by the ruling TRS party.
A fresh row erupted in Hyderabad after senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was denied entry into Osmania University for a 'non-political' interaction with students. The national party leaders had alleged that Telangana Chief Minister K C Rao's 'pressure tactics resulted in the varsity's denial of permission'.
The University, in its defense, said that the permission has been denied due to the varsity's resolution last year not to allow any political activity on the campus. OU also said that elections of some employees unions have been scheduled, examinations for certain courses were underway and a section of students are also preparing for recruitment tests recently announced by the state government.
On Sunday, the Congress party's students' wing (National Students Union of India-NSUI) held a protest over the denial of Gandhi's visit scheduled for May 7. 18 protestors were arrested in the protest. On Monday, the party cadre staged a protest against the arrests and claimed foul play by the ruling TRS party.
Revanth Reddy's allegations
Telangana Congress president and MP, A Revanth Reddy said Rahul Gandhi plans to meet arrested NSUI leaders on May 7 and lodged at the Chanchalguda jail to speak to them on issues faced by students. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao 'pressured' the university authorities to deny permission to Rahul Gandhi's meeting, Revanth Reddy alleged. Earlier, the state Congress chief visited the NSUI leaders at the prison.
The state Congress president said a letter has been submitted to the jail superintendent seeking permission for Rahul Gandhi to meet the arrested NSUI leaders.
On Rahul Gandhi's proposal to meet students, the Congress leader said the interaction was planned with students to understand their concerns and other relevant issues for the betterment of both students and the varsity as well and for raising such issues in the Parliament. The OU, which was a hub of separate Telangana agitation by the students years ago, was the alma mater of late P V Narasimha Rao, M Chenna Reddy, S Jaipal Reddy, and several other veteran leaders, he said.
NSUI's protests
Meanwhile, activists of NSUI held a protest on Monday on the OU campus over the denial of permission for Rahul Gandhi's meeting and the arrest of NSUI leaders on May 1. Enraged over the denial of permission, the activists allegedly pelted stones at the main door of the varsity's Administrative Building on Sunday after which at least 18 of them were arrested by police.
Further, the varsity official said that considering the Executive Council resolution, no political activity has been allowed on the campus during the last year, he pointed out.
Congress party shared with the media a letter written by OU Registrar to Koturi Manavatha Roy who was one of the applicants for Gandhi’s meeting on the campus saying that it is not feasible for the university to accord permission for the meeting.
Also Read | Who would you blame now - Nehru, states or people: Rahul's dig at PM Modi over power crisis
Also Read | Rahul Gandhi slams BJP over Jahangirpuri demolition: 'Bulldoze hatred in heart'
(with PTI inputs)
