Congress president Rahul Gandhi's visit to Hyderabad next week has run into a controversy with the authorities of Osmania University refusing to grant him permission to visit the campus. Another programme of Rahul Gandhi's meeting with the members of Muslim community had to be cancelled as management of Hockey Ground at AC Guards refused the permission.
A group of Ph D research scholars and other students had invited Rahul Gandhi to address students and had applied for permission to conduct the program in Tagore Auditorium in the campus. After much dilly dallying the authorities informed the organisers that the permission can not be granted on the grounds of security.
"Osmania University has declined the request made by students organisations regarding Rahul Gandhi's visit to the OU due to security reasons as he is under Special Security Coverage", Joint Director of the university said in a letter sent to PhD research scholar K Manvath Roy.
Both the developments have evoked a sharp reaction from the state Congress leaders. State Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy said, "state government is resorting to these measures as the Chief Minister was afraid of Rahul Gandhi's visit to the OU campus". Reddy claimed that Chief Minister himself was unable to visit the campus fearing the wrath of the students over the issue of employment.
AICC secretary RC Kuntia said that the Chief Minister was acting at the behest of the Prime Minister Narendar Modi. "He is feeling threatened by Rahul Gandhi". Kuntia said that it was for the AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi to explain why he was supporting KCR despite his support to Narendar Modi.
leader of Opposition in Telangana legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir said that the a conspiracy was hatched to prevent Rahul Gandhi from addressing meetings in Muslim areas. "Hockey Ground Masab Tank is under Moulana Abul Kalam Azad society and the society president informed us that he can not permit the meeting because of the pressure from above".
He said during the next visit Rahul will address meetings in all the Muslim areas including the old city.
According to the schedule Rahul will arrive in Hyderabad on Monday afternoon and his first program will be an interaction with the women of self help groups.
On August 14 he will have interaction with the editors and senior journalists, a teleconference with the members of 31000 booth committees across the state, and address a meeting of unemployed youth.
Meanwhile students organisations have expressed their resentment over the OU authorities not allowing Rahul Gandhi to visit campus. "Vice chancellor is giving a lame excuse of security problem. Th fact is that the Chief Minister was behind this decision", said Manvath Roy. "Of the VC does not review the decision we will challenge it in the court", he said.