Tension at venue of Kanhaiya Kumar's meeting in Vijayawada

Tension prevailed at a function hall here this evening when workers of BJP and Left parties virtually clashed over the conduct of a meeting of JNU students union leader Kanhaiya Kumar. The United Forum of Students Unions had organised the meeting for which Kanhaiya reached here from Hyderabad. Workers of BJP and its affiliate organisations reached the function hall ahead of Kanhaiya's arrival and started raising slogans against him. "Kanhaiya go back," they shouted even as AISF, CPI, CPM workers present in full strength sought to retaliate. Heated arguments were witnessed between BJP and CPI workers even as the former tried to barge into the function hall to prevent the JNU student leader from addressing the meeting. A heavy presence of police prevented a clash between the BJP and the Left activists. Police took BJP state secretary Purnachandra Rao and BJYM leader C Rajinikanth and others into custody and whisked them away from the spot. Kanhaiya flew down to Vijayawada airport at Gannavaram from Hyderabad and was driven to the city, 20-km away, amid tight police security. Police sources said no permission had been given for Kanhaiya's meeting. "Since it is being held in a private place, we did not issue any permission. But given the events in Hyderabad Central University and later at another meeting in Hyderabad, we have kept a close watch on the meeting here and posted adequate security," a senior police officer said. In fact, the meeting was supposed to be organised in a private college but due to protests from different quarters the college management reportedly asked the organisers to shift the venue. Hence, the private function palace was chosen, sources said.