The Osmania University Joint Action Committee (OUJAC) has announced its support for the ongoing ‘Marwari Go Back’ campaign and declared a Telangana bandh on August 22. OUJAC chairman Kothapalli Tirupathi Reddy urged citizens of Telangana to actively participate in the bandh, alleging that Marwari businessmen are “destroying the lives of local traders” through deceptive business practices. He warned that the agitation could intensify if the government failed to act against the growing influence of Marwari traders, whom he accused of undermining Telangana’s economic independence.

Reddy further stated that Telangana was formed after years of struggle against the alleged exploitation of Andhra leaders in the united Andhra Pradesh, and now the community is facing similar issues with Marwaris. He alleged that Rajasthani and Gujarati Marwaris have migrated to Telangana and are damaging traditional caste-based professions by monopolising trade and resources. Several trade bodies, including the Vaisya Vikas Vedika, have also extended their support, stressing that industries established by outsiders must ensure 89% employment for local youth. Resolutions passed at a Hyderabad roundtable echoed similar demands, pushing for restrictions on businesses owned by people from outside the state.

The controversy gained momentum after an incident in Hyderabad’s Monda Market, where a Marwari jeweller allegedly assaulted a man from a marginalised community over a parking dispute. The clash escalated into protests and ultimately led to the launch of the ‘Marwari Go Back’ campaign. The Telangana Kranti Dal has also backed the bandh, calling for a boycott of goods and services offered by Rajasthani and Gujarati traders. On Monday, local traders in Ranga Reddy district’s Amangal mandal observed a bandh in solidarity, further intensifying the political and economic friction surrounding the issue.