NSUI members held for trying to barge into Telangana CM's camp office

A total of 31 NSUI members were arrested, a police official said, adding cases have been registered under Indian Penal Code sections including for not maintaining social distance. Venkat said the government has decided to go ahead with the common entrance tests (CET) exams and the final year exams when the matter was pending in the Telangana High Court.

As many as 31 members of NSUI were on Wednesday arrested when they attempted to lay siege to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's official residence-cum camp office here protesting the governments move to conduct entrance exams in the state, police said. National Students Union of India (NSUI) state unit president B Venkat and others were prevented by police when they attempted to scale the barricades and barge into the Pragathi Bhavan, they said.

The protesters wearing Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits and masks also raised slogans while one among them scaled the barricade but was immediately taken into custody. A total of 31 NSUI members were arrested, a police official said, adding cases have been registered under Indian Penal Code sections including for not maintaining social distance.

Venkat said the government has decided to go ahead with the common entrance tests (CET) exams and the final year exams when the matter was pending in the Telangana High Court. Earlier, the NSUI had also filed a PIL in the high court seeking postponement of all the entrance tests in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Subject to the court orders, the Telangana government had proposed to conduct the Engineering Common Entrance Test (ECET-20) on August 31 and the Telangana State Engineering, Agriculture and Medical Pharmacy, Veterinary Common Entrance Test (TS-EAMCET-20) from September 9 to 14. The NSUI leader alleged that the decision to conduct the exams clearly showed the "insensitiveness" of the government toward the health of students.

He demanded cancellation of final year examinations and postponement of CETs until the situation was feasible for the conduct of the exams..