As student unions and political parties led by the Left plan to protest against the CAA and the NRC on Thursday, the Hyderabad police has made it clear that the protesters do not have permission to take out a rally from anywhere in the city. The police noted that no permission has been given to any group, association or organisation to conduct outdoor rallies or processions.
In a press statement to the media on Thursday morning, the Joint Commissioner of Police, Central Zone, Hyderabad, P Viswaprasad stated, “Today the Left Parties have planned for a rally from Exhibition Ground to Public Garden in protest against the CAA. They gave a representation seeking permission for the said rally to the DCP, Central Zone. Their representation has been considered and rejected by the DCP and the same has been served on the applicant,”
The call for protests was given out by the CPI and all its affiliates, along with the Telangana Jana Samithi-led Professor Kodendaram earlier on Wednesday. Speaking to TNM, the professor had said that the protesters had initially intended to take out a rally from Charminar, but permission was denied.
Student unions from the University of Hyderabad, Osmania, EFLU and several other central and state universities had also planned to converge at the exhibition grounds and march to the public gardens, but they were also denied police permission.
The students at MANUU, who came out in protests after the Delhi police crackdown on Jamia University students, have only been allowed to protest inside the campus. “They have not given us permission to step outside the university gates. The moment we do that, they will detain us. They keep threatening us,” said Shanawaz, with Azad National Students Union, at MANUU.
Earlier on Wednesday, police set up barricades along the road leading up to MANUU. They have also barred media from gaining entry to the university, students say.