Rahul Gandhi joins protesting students at Hyderabad varsity
Hyderabad, Jan 30: Congress vice president Rahul
Gandhi late on Friday night reached the University of
Hyderabad and participated in a candle light march by the
students to mark the birth anniversary of Rohith Vemula, a
Dalit research scholar who committed suicide two weeks ago.
Rahul, who landed at Hyderabad airport around midnight,
drove straight to the university to express solidarity with
the students protesting over the suicide.
This is the second time in less than two weeks that the
Congress leader is visiting the campus to meet and address
the students.
He will spend the night with the students on the campus and
participate in the programmes organised by the Joint Action
Committee (JAC) for social justice on Saturday.
Immediately after reaching the shopping complex where
students are staging the protest for the last 12 days, Rahul
paid tributes to Rohith at the memorial constructed by the
students. He then sat with Rohith's mother, brother and
other students.
The students are demanding action against Vice-Chancellor P.
Appa Rao and others responsible for the suicide of Rohith
Vemula.
As soon as the Congress MP's convoy reached the main gate of
the university, activists of ABVP tried to stop him. They
were protesting his visit to the campus. Police had to use
mild force to disperse the protesters.
Rahul had visited the campus on January 19, two days after
Rohith committed suicide. He had also interacted with the
mother of Rohith and four other Dalit students who are on
protest for nearly a month.
The MP had demanded action against the vice chancellor,
central ministers and others responsible for the student's
suicide.