Rahul Gandhi meets NSUI students of OU held in Chanchalguda jail

Hyderabad: On the second day of his Telangana tour on Saturday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited the Chanchalguda Central Jail and met the National Union Students of India (NSUI) students of Osmania University kept under arrest. He discussed the problems being faced by them.

Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramaka.

Before meeting the NSUI students, Rahul Gandhi had tweeted, "The soul of the Congress party is its dedicated workers, who are waging a selfless battle against injustice. I will always stand by them. Heading to Chanchalguda jail to meet the 18 NSUI student leaders who have been illegally arrested by TRS govt for protesting peacefully."

After the meeting, the NSUI tweeted, "Your continuous support and guidance gave us the power to fight for rights and justice. No one can break our morals by doing such cowardly acts. Students will end the dictatorial empire of KCR very soon and there will be happiness and prosperity by the Congress in Telangana."

Later, Rahul Gandhi met the party leaders of the TPCC Special Extended Executive Committee at Gandhi Bhawan in Hyderabad. He congratulated the party members in the state for making Raithu Sangharshana Sabha - the farmers' rally-cum-meeting held on May 6 in Warangal - a grand success. "It's your hard work that made it a success," he said.

Referring to the announcement made to the farmers, on Friday in Warangal, he said, "The declaration in Warangal is not just a declaration, it's a guarantee. It's a partnership extended by the Congress government to the farmers of Telangana."

On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi also paid tributes to Damodaram Sanjivayya, former Chief Minister of former united Andhra Pradesh.

Background on arrests

On 1 May, around 1:20 pm, 20 to 25 students under the leadership of Balmoori Venkat Narsing Rao, the NSUI State President, gathered in front of the administrative building of Osmania University and raised slogans against the VC for not allowing Rahul Gandhi's public meeting inside the campus. According to the OU police, the students carried objectionable items like bangles, saree, and gulal to present to the VC, allegedly to insult him. The police also said they carried a bottle of petrol with the intention to set it on fire causing loss of life and property.

The police said that the NSUI students had allegedly assaulted women police officers who were monitoring the situation inside the campus. The students had reportedly pelted stones at the administrative building and had broken glass panes.

Based on a complaint filed by a woman police officer, the police had taken 18 NSUI leaders into custody and had requested the court to remand them for judicial custody for 15 days. A case was registered.

Later, some of the NSUI students had moved to the Telangana High Court requesting permission for Rahul Gandhi's visit to OU. But the court had refused.