HC says no to Rahul Gandhi event at Osmania University

Hyderabad, May 05: The Telangana High Court has denied permission for a Rahul Gandhi event at the Osmania University here.

The students of the university had filed a writ petition seeking a direction from the vice-chancellor to allow face to face interaction between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and students and unemployed youth at the Tagore Auditorium.

Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to interact with the students on May 7 at the university.

"The purpose of the proposed meeting, which according to the petitioners would be a face-to-face interaction of students with Rahul Gandhi, cannot be said to be without political overtones in the absence of material to substantiate that the meeting is for some academic activities. The University campus cannot be used as a political platform," the court further added.

Permitting political events is a violation of Resolution No 6 of 1591h meeting of the executive council of the university. Article 14 of the Indian Constitution guarantees positive equality and not negative equality. Merely because the respondents are stated to have permitted other activities, this court cannot permit the proposed meeting in violation of its executive council resolution, the court order also read.