Pro-Palestine protest held in Mehdipatnam
Hyderabad: Civil society members, activists, and citizens have written to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday, October 1, expressing deep concern over police action against students and youth supporting Palestine in the state.
Condemning two recent incidents – the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Hyderabad and another in Adilabad district – where peaceful pro-Palestine demonstrators were allegedly detained and booked by the police, the letter condemned the illegal police action.
“On October 7, EFLU students held a peaceful demonstration in solidarity with Palestine when activists from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) allegedly disrupted the protest. However, the Osmania University police booked the students instead and detained them late at night,” the letter read.
“On the same day in Adilabad district, police reportedly detained 8–10 young social workers, including four minors, who had planned to demonstrate in support of Palestine. They were accused of raising slogans like “Palestine Zindabad” and “Boycott Zudio” and were booked under multiple BNS sections,” the letter read, adding the police mistreated the protestors.
Reminding Rahul Gandhi that he and other members of his party, as well as his family, including Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, have publicly condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza and expressed solidarity with the people of Palestine, the letter stated that the Telangana Police’s actions under a Congress-led government contradict this stance and “send a deeply disturbing message.”
“We urge you and chief minister Revanth Reddy to direct Telangana DGP, Adilabad SP, and Hyderabad Commissioner to withdraw the FIRs against students and activists, and hold an inquiry into the alleged police misconduct,” the letter read.
The letter was signed by social activists SQ Masood, Dr Jasveen Jairath, Sagar Dhara, Kiran Kumar Vissa, Khalida Parveen, Veena Shatrugna, and journalist Nikhat Fatima, among others.
This post was last modified on October 11, 2025 7:05 pm