KTR Denounces Protest Ban at Osmania University as a Democratic Violation
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Synopsis
On March 16, K. Taraka Rama Rao of BRS condemned the Telangana Congress government's ban on protests at Osmania University, calling it an attack on democracy. He criticized the party for betraying its promise to uphold the right to protest.
Key Takeaways
- KTR condemns the protest ban as anti-democratic.
- Questions Congress' commitment to democratic values.
- Highlights contradictions in Congress' promises.
- Compares Congress' actions to BJP's suppression of dissent.
- Calls for student unity against government oppression.
Hyderabad, March 16 (NationPress) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. Taraka Rama Rao has vehemently criticized the decision made by the Telangana Congress government to prohibit protests at Osmania University, labeling it a blatant assault on democracy.
He raised the question of whether this aligns with the “spirit of democracy” that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress have frequently championed in their advocacy for the right to protest.
“Is this the democratic right to protest that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress claimed to support? If they genuinely upheld democratic values, why are they implementing authoritarian tactics to silence the voices of students?” he remarked in response to an Osmania University announcement banning protests and sit-ins.
Criticizing the Congress for its inconsistency, the BRS leader reminded citizens that during its campaign, the party promised the right to protest as part of its ‘Seventh Guarantee'. Yet, within a year, the same Congress administration has gone back on that pledge by enforcing restrictions on student demonstrations.
KTR, as the BRS leader is affectionately known, also highlighted the ongoing trend of the BJP-led Union and state governments suppressing student movements across the nation. He accused the Congress of adopting a similar dictatorial approach in Telangana, demonstrating that it resembles the BJP in its methods of stifling dissent.
“Silencing student voices is an unmistakable indicator of dictatorship. The Congress administration in Telangana is now exposing its true nature by infringing upon students’ fundamental right to protest. Osmania University, which was pivotal in the Telangana movement, is being turned into a prison under this oppressive regime,” he stated.
He further lambasted the government’s misplaced priorities, pointing out that instead of tackling critical issues like unsafe food in university hostels, where students recently discovered insects and even razor blades in their meals, the Congress government chose to focus on quelling student dissent.
KTR cautioned that the Congress government’s undemocratic behavior would face resistance and that the students and citizens of Telangana would soon respond to this betrayal. He reiterated that the BRS would support students and oppose any effort to suppress their voices.
