Hyderabad, July 21, 2025 – Tensions flared at Osmania University on Monday as activists from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a fiery demonstration outside the historic Arts College, burning an effigy of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) to protest recent rape allegations involving its Odisha state leadership.
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| ANation News Photo Clip|ABVP burnt a effigy of NSUI at Osmania University Over Odisha Rape Allegations Involving NSUI Leader |
The protest follows the arrest of Udit Pradhan, the NSUI president in Odisha, who is facing grave charges including rape, criminal intimidation, and administration of sedatives to facilitate sexual assault. The allegations, stemming from a March incident involving a 19-year-old engineering student, have sparked outrage across political and student communities nationwide.
"Congress Cannot Remain Silent": ABVP Seeks Rahul Gandhi’s Response Chanting slogans and holding placards condemning the Congress party, ABVP leaders demanded that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi break his silence on the issue. They accused the party of hypocrisy—claiming to champion women’s rights while remaining “conspicuously mute” when the accused belongs to their own student wing.
“Where is Rahul Gandhi now, who speaks of justice for women on every platform?” asked ABVP Greater Hyderabad CitySecretary PruthviRaj. “Why is there no condemnation from the Congress top brass when their own leader has been accused of such a heinous crime?”
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| ABVP State Secretary Macherla Rambabu addressed the media at the site, stating: |
“This is not an isolated case. The Congress party must come clean on the culture within its youth organizations. We demand accountability and immediate expulsion of all accused leaders from the party.”
Wider Political Fallout: The protest is part of a growing wave of national criticism following Pradhan’s arrest. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other opposition figures have questioned the Congress's commitment to women's safety and transparency, particularly after the party vocally supported recent protests against crimes against women in Odisha.
The NSUI’s national leadership has suspended Pradhan, while the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has initiated a fact-finding inquiry. Still, the Congress has yet to issue a formal statement addressing the ABVP’s specific allegations or the broader political implications.