In less than 12 days, All India Congress Committee Vice-President Rahul Gandhi will visit the University of Hyderabad campus for the second time to express solidarity with the protesting students, who are demanding action against the varsity Vice-Chancellor and others, holding them responsible for the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula.
This time, Mr. Rahul will spend the night at the varsity amid the students. According to party sources, the AICC vice-president will arrive by a special filght at Begumpet airport and drive down straight to the university on Friday night.
He will then join the students, who are gearing up to observe the birthday of Rohith Vemula tomorrow, when the late scholar would have turned 27. “Our information is that he will participate in a candle light rally on the campus and interact with the students. Will be on the campus till 12 noon of Saturday and then go back to Delhi,” a senior Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee functionary, who did not want to be identified, told The Hindu .
Interestingly, Mr. Rahul’s tour managers have clearly told the State Congress leadership not to join his visit and instead focus on the GHMC election campaign. It is understood that only the members of the student’s wing of the party – National Students Union of India – would join the protest demonstration going on in the varsity.
It may be mentioned here that Mr. Rahul had rushed to the university on January 18, a day after Rohith committed suicide and demanded stern action against all those responsible for his death.
