‘They stood with Telangana, now we stand with them’: Hundreds rally at Hyderabad’s Osmania University in support of Delhi protesters

“When students in Hyderabad and across Telangana were protesting for the Telangana movement in 2014 and before that, there were voices and activists from Delhi who supported the movement. Now it is our time to show the same solidarity to the people who are in Delhi and who are being attacked by the police for protesting,” said Rahul Reddy (name changed), as hundreds of students, activists and members of civil society organisations gathered at Osmania University in Hyderabad on Wednesday, to express solidarity with students protesting in the national capital.

The solidarity protest began at around 4 p.m. near the Arts College building, with participants walking to the university library and appealing to students to spare some time and join the demonstration. The group then marched towards the Arts College building, where hundreds assembled outside the premises. As time passed, more students and activists continued to join the gathering.

Among those who attended was Shaheera, a Hyderabad-based paediatrician, who said she could relate to the struggles of students preparing for competitive examinations. “I am a doctor myself. I gave the entrance exam in 2007 and I can understand the hard work that goes into preparing for an exam,” she said. When asked whether Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should resign over the issue, Ms. Shaheera said fixing accountability at the top would send a strong message throughout the system. “If one person is sacked, then it sets a precedent for the whole chain of command,” she said.

Slogans demanding justice and accountability echoed across the campus as protesters marched around the front of the Arts College building. The demonstration remained peaceful, with participants expressing support for the students in Delhi who were assaulted during July 20 protests.

Chetna, a working professional who participated in the protest, said it was time for more people to publicly support the students. “It is about time that people come out in solidarity with the students who were beaten up. For the last 12 years, every major scam or problem has been brushed aside by calling protesters anti-nationals. In fact, today those who are still not in favour of the NEET students are the real anti-nationals,” she said.

Another protestor, Srihari, said he had initially confined his support to social media but decided to join the protest after seeing videos of the police action. “Until July 20, I was supporting the movement online. But when I saw innocent students and women being beaten just for demanding accountability, I realised that support cannot be limited to the internet. We have to come out and protest,” he said.

The protest continued for over two hours before concluding at around 6.30 p.m. Participants dispersed from the venue after police requested them to vacate the premises.