Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, 7 May, visited Chanchalguda Central Jail in Hyderabad and met National Students' Union of India (NSUI) leaders arrested last week for staging a protest at Osmania University.
On the second day of his visit to Telangana, Rahul went to the prison and called on 18 leaders of NSUI, the student wing of Congress party.
"The soul of the Congress party are 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," Rahul tweeted before reaching the jail.
Rahul, who was accompanied by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, interacted with NSUI Telangana state president Balmoori Venkat and others. He enquired from them about the problems faced by students and youth. The MP posed for photographs with NSUI leaders.
The Background
The leaders were arrested on 1 May during the protest at Osmania University protesting denial of permission for Rahul Gandhi's visit to the university.
The protestors had stormed into the OU administrative building and tried to barge into the locked Vice-Chancellor's office. They allegedly broke glass panes of the door and raised slogans against the Vice-Chancellor and the government. They alleged the Vice Chancellor was acting at the behest of the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
The NSUI leaders were booked for unlawful assembly, assault, rioting, trespass and preventing public servants from discharging their duties. On a complaint by a woman police constable, the arrested NSUI leaders were also charged with attempting to outrage her modesty.
Venkat Balmoor and 17 others were produced before a magistrate, who sent them to judicial custody for 14 days.
Some NSUI leaders had also approached Telangana High Court, seeking direction to Osmania University to allow Rahul Gandhi to visit the campus. However, the court refused to pass any such orders.
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