Hyderabad: The Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) has strongly condemned the Telangana Police for filing cases against students of the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) who participated in a Palestine Solidarity March on October 6.
The march was held on campus to express support for the people of Palestine amid the ongoing conflict. Police later registered cases against several students who took part, prompting widespread criticism from student groups and civil rights activists.
In a statement, SIO called the police action “unjustified and politically motivated.” The organisation said peaceful activism is a constitutional right and that students expressing solidarity with oppressed communities should not face criminal charges. It demanded that all cases be withdrawn immediately.
SIO further urged the Telangana government and university authorities to uphold students’ rights to peaceful assembly and dissent. The organisation said such crackdowns reflect a growing trend of suppressing student voices in Indian universities.
The EFLU march was among several student-led demonstrations held across the country in recent weeks to show solidarity with Palestinians. SIO stated that expressing empathy for global human rights struggles is an ethical responsibility and part of a democratic society’s conscience.
The organisation appealed to civil society, academics, and human rights defenders to support the affected students and resist any attempt to silence peaceful expression on campuses.
