Kanhaiya Kumar meets Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, March 22: Jawaharlal Nehru University students leader Kanhaiya Kumar called upon Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi at his official residence here on Tuesday.

Kumar led a delegation of Jawaharlal Nehru University students Union (JNUSU) and All India Students' Federation (AISF) leaders to meet Gandhi at his Tughlak Lane residence.

This is the first time that the Congress vice president has met Kanhaiya since he was released on bail from a prison here where he was lodged following an uproar over alleged anti-national activities at the JNU campus. The student leader was charged with sedition.

While Kanhaiya did not interact with the media after an hour-long meeting, NSUI Chief Roji M John described it as a courtesy call to thank Gandhi for his support during the ongoing row at the university.

"A JNU delegation headed by Kanhaiya met Rahul Gandhi, it was a courtesy call. They thanked him for his continuous support ever since the issue started.

"Gandhi not only supported the students at JNU but also FTII and IIT Madras where students have been protesting against the way government is attacking institutions.

We will continue this fight to protect autonomy of institutions," John told reporters.

Gandhi in his tweet merely said, "met a delegation of student leaders from AISF and JNUSU President".

The Congress leader had visited the JNU campus on February 13, a day after Kanhaiya was arrested in a sedition case over an event at the varsity against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

In a hard-hitting attack on Modi government over JNU student's arrest, Gandhi had virtually drawn parallel of it with the Nazi regime of Hitler, accusing NDA of "suppressing" students' voice and telling students "don't let those bullies push you around"

Earlier, Gandhi had come out in full support for Kanhaiya amid the unrest at the JNU.