Mild tension prevailed at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) as a 'Save the Constitution Rally' that was planned by students on Sunday was foiled by the police.
Around 200 students held tri-color flags and attempted to carry out a rally from their campus to the Ambedkar statue at Masjid Banda in Hyderabad. However, they were stopped at the gates of UoH as police had denied them permission for the event.
The students raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and the ruling BJP alleging that the laws that are being brought by the Union government were threatening the principles of the Constitution. The rally was headed by the UoH students' union. Soon after the rally reached the main gate of the campus, police shut the gate and cordoned off the premises.
Speaking to TNM, Students’ Union General Secretary Gopi Swamy said, "We have approached the local police seeking permission for the rally, but they have denied us the same, without stating any valid reason." He further said, "This action by police is unacceptable. We wanted to garland Dr BR Ambedkar's statue and recite the preamble to highlight the significance of constitutional values."
Swamy alleged there is an onslaught on the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the citizens.
Abhishek Nandan, President of Students’ Union said. "We have every right to uphold the Constitution and its values. There is an attack on the institutions and minorities across the country by undermining constitutional values." As the police stopped students from coming out of the campus, they staged a protest in front of the main gate and raised slogans against the Centre.
Earlier in December, over 60 students from UoH were detained in Moinabad police station as they attempted to join protests against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the city.