Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], January 9 : Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) on Friday criticised the Congress government in Telangana, accusing it of attempting to illegally acquire 50 acres of land belonging to Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU).
He made these remarks after meeting MANUU students at a residence in Nandi Nagar, Banjara Hills, where the students apprised him of their concerns.
The students told KTR that they vehemently opposed the state government's move to reclaim land previously allotted to the university, stating that such an action would severely impact the institution's future expansion and academic growth.
Addressing the media after the meeting, KTR alleged that the Congress government was systematically targeting university lands across the state and behaving like a "serial land snatcher".
He said MANUU, the country's only exclusive Urdu university and a pride of Hyderabad, was being deliberately weakened for real estate interests.
"The Congress wants to use a prestigious educational institution for real estate needs. This government has made it a process to grab university lands," KTR alleged.
He recalled earlier attempts to acquire land at the Agricultural University in the name of the High Court, as well as an alleged bid to take over nearly 400 acres of Hyderabad Central University (HCU) land.
KTR claimed that, despite the Supreme Court's temporary halt to the HCU land issue and its observations on a Rs 10,000-crore land scam, neither the Centre nor the state government had initiated a proper investigation.
"Had the Centre acted firmly then, the state government would not have dared to target another central university like MANUU," he said.
KTR said the BRS would stand firmly with MANUU students and, if necessary, take the issue to Delhi and raise it in Parliament, including the Rajya Sabha.
He promised that in a future BRS government, adequate funds would be allocated for the university's expansion and infrastructure.
Taking aim at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, KTR questioned the party's claims of being protectors of minorities. "Is this your idea of minority protection, snatching land from a university where minority students from across the country study?" he asked.
KTR also condemned the recent lathi charge on unemployed youth protesting for job notifications.
He accused the Congress of betraying its promise of providing two lakh jobs and suppressing students through police action instead. "We will stand with unemployed youth and students and support their struggle," he asserted.