HYDERABAD: Over 2,000 students from Osmania University were invited for a non-vegetarian meal at the E Hostel to celebrate the wedding of the son of state finance minister Etela Rajender. The invitation was dispersed by the ruling party’s supporters on Facebook and WhatsApp.
The students were not gratified to receive the invitation, and on the contrary felt quite insulted. When they made this obvious, the plan was cancelled.
“It was really demeaning to read the invitation splashed across social media asking us to come and eat. It is not like students are desperate for a non-vegetarian meal. Inviting students for the wedding is different. This can be seen as a political move,” said one of the students Krishank Manne.
It would have been better to distribute the food to shelter homes or NGOs, students said.
Mr Rajender said his invitation was meant to include students who could not attend the wedding.
“The feast was planned for the students as a gesture of goodwill. I wanted to share my happiness. But since ill feelings arose among some of the students regarding the same, I dropped the plan,” he said.
Student leader made the request
A source close to the finance minister said, “The food was ordered to celebrate along with students. It is fresh food. It was sent on the request of TRS student leader Anjaneya Goud.”
Mr Goud said, “Students saying that they weren’t invited for the wedding is false. In fact, more than 3,000 wedding inivtations were handed out to the students. The feast was just an added gesture by the minister to include them in the celebration.”
