Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who could not interact with the Osmania University students, on Saturday met his party's student wing leaders lodged in the Chanchalguda jail in the city.
The Telangana Congress had earlier planned an interactive session of Rahul Gandhi with the students of the university, which was the hotbed of the Telangana movement.
But the university authorities denied permission for the meeting, citing rules and the university executive council resolution prohibiting political gatherings on the campus. Officials also noted that some exams are underway.
The 18 NSUI activists, including state chief Balmoor Venkat, were jailed last Sunday when they were protesting at the OU vice-chancellor's office, demanding that the session be allowed.
“The soul of the Congress party is its dedicated workers, who are waging a selfless battle against injustice. I will always stand by them,” Rahul Gandhi said, adding that “the student leaders were illegally arrested by the TRS government for protesting peacefully.”
The NSUI and Congress leaders had alleged that the OU permission was denied at the behest of the TRS government of K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Rahul Gandhi later addressed a meeting of the party functionaries at the Gandhi Bhavan, the TPCC headquarters, in Hyderabad. “Chief Minister Rao has no dearth of corruption money, police, and establishment power but lacks public support,” he said.
The Congress leader said party tickets will be given to the genuine party workers who move amidst the Telangana people and work for them.”
“The process would be merit-based. Do not make the mistake of sitting in Hyderabad and do not come to Delhi. It would backfire. Spend time in your constituencies, and work hard on the ground. People would guarantee you the ticket,” Rahul Gandhi told the party leaders.
Rahul Gandhi asked any aggrieved leaders to meet him to resolve matters but not to take the squabbles to the media.