Bandi Sanjay arrested; RGUKT protests continue

HYDERABAD: Telangana's Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar has been arrested by the police on the charges of provocation and trying to create breach of peace. The police took him into custody at Kamareddy district, while he was on his way to visit the IIIT Basara campus. Tension erupted between the police and BJP workers in Bhiknur village in view of the arrest.

Bandi had planned the visit to Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge and Technologies to support the agitating students, who are protesting for the fourth day in a row demanding canteen and library amenities, a full time Vice-Chancellor, more faculty and other facilities. He said that the demands of the students were just and reasonable and the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao was not paying attention.

"Adilabad MP Soyam Bapu Rao, I and other officials have apprised the Chief Minister of the students' problems, through letters and media. However, he has not acknowledged it. It seems to be tough for him to maintain one IIIT. They are not able to provide one vice-chancellor, proper faculty and basic amenities. As a result, premier institutions may not consider Telangana for establishing campuses. The BJP stands with the students of IIIT Basara and is urging the TRS and the Congress to also show solidarity towards them," Bandi said to the media on Friday.

The RGUKT students started a protest on the campus on June 14. They are continuing to protest in spite of Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy's assurance that their problems would be taken care of. The students announced that they would call off the strike only if the Chief Minister visited the campus.