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

Students gathered at Arts College, Osmania University to protest the alleged violence on students in Delhi in Hyderabad on Wednesday, demanding accountability and resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. | Photo credit: RAMAKRISHNA G

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

The solidarity protest started at around 16:00 near the Arts College building, the participants went to the university library and appealed to the students to find time to join the demonstration. The group then marched towards the Arts College building where hundreds gathered outside the campus. Over time, other students and activists joined the rally.

Among those who attended was Shaheera, a pediatrician from Hyderabad, who said she could relate to the struggles of students preparing for competitive exams. “I’m a doctor myself. I passed the entrance exams in 2007 and I understand the hard work involved in preparing for the exams,” she said. When asked if Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should resign over the matter, Ms. Shaheera said that fixing accountability at the top would send a strong signal to the entire system. “If one person is fired, then it sets a precedent for the entire chain of command,” she said.

Slogans demanding justice and accountability echoed across campus as protesters marched outside the Arts College building. The demonstration remained peaceful and its participants expressed support for the students in Delhi who were attacked during the July 20 protests.

Chetna, a working professional who attended the protest, said it was time for more people to publicly support the students. “It’s time people come out in solidarity with the students who have been beaten up. In the last 12 years, every major scam or issue has been done away with by calling the protestors anti-nationals. In fact, today those who are still not in favor of NEET students are the real anti-nationals,” she said.

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

The protest continued for more than two hours and ended around 6:30 p.m. The participants dispersed from the venue after the police asked them to leave the premises.

Published – 22 Jul 2026 21:40 IST