Gadkari asks Rahul not to make Hyderabad varsity his 'political den'

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday urged Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi not to make University of Hyderabad his 'political den'.

Gadkari was responding to Gandhi joining mass hunger strike at the varsity to express solidarity with protesting students over the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula.

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He said Gandhi should worry about the future of the students instead of using them for political gain.

"Exams are approaching in Hyderabad and students need to prepare for it. The government has already formed a judicial commission to probe the issue. At such a time, Rahul Gandhi is doing politics there, he should not make the university political den. Whatever he needs to do, he should do it in Parliament. He should worry about the future of the students and not make the university his political den," Gadkari told reporters here.

Earlier, Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu accused Gandhi of 'shedding crocodile tears' to gain political mileage.

"This is a part of their anti-Modi campaign. All this is cheap politics," he said.

Rahul Gandhi today joined the mass hunger strike at the Hyderabad University campus to express solidarity with the students protesting against the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula who would have turned 27 today.

The University of Hyderabad changed its interim vice-chancellor late Friday night, as Dr Vipin Srivastava went on leave just hours before Gandhi reached the campus.

In his absence, M Periasamy, the next senior-most professor, will assume charge.