Telangana BJP chief begins 48-hour hunger strike over fee reimbursement dues
Hyderabad, Aug 24 (TNT): Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao on Monday began a 48-hour hunger strike at the party’s state headquarters here, demanding immediate release of pending fee reimbursement dues to students.
The protest was launched under the party’s “Feesula Bakayi–BJP Ladayi” campaign, with the BJP demanding release of Rs 15,000 crore in pending fee reimbursement dues.
Police had denied permission to hold the protest at Dharna Chowk, following which the hunger strike was organised at the BJP state office.
Addressing the gathering, Rao accused the Congress government of neglecting students and alleged that non-payment of fee reimbursement dues was affecting nearly 40 lakh students across the state.
He claimed students were unable to obtain certificates and were facing difficulties in pursuing higher education and employment opportunities due to the pending dues.
Rao said the BJP would continue its agitation until the government cleared the arrears and said the party’s youth wing would spearhead further protests.
He claimed BJP workers had visited colleges across Telangana and collected signatures from around five lakh students protesting against the non-payment of fee reimbursement dues.
The BJP state president alleged that the Congress had come to power after making several promises to the youth under its Youth Declaration but had failed to fulfil its commitments.
Rao alleged that the government, after being reprimanded by the High Court, had announced release of Rs 2,000 crore as an advance towards the next year’s fee reimbursement but failed to honour the commitment.
He also alleged that police resorted to lathi-charge against polytechnic students who were protesting over their demands and accused the government of ignoring the concerns of Ayush and Homeopathy students seeking an increase in stipends.
Targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Rao said, “Rahul Gandhi is travelling across the country provoking students in BJP-ruled states. If he has the courage, he should come to Telangana and answer for the fee reimbursement withheld by the Congress government here.”
The protest witnessed the participation of BJP leaders, students and party workers.
BJP MP M S Rekha Sharma, BJP Legislature Party leader Aleti Maheshwar Reddy, Legislative Council leader AVN Reddy, MPs Raghunandan Rao and Palvai Harish Babu, D K Aruna, MLA Venkata Ramana Reddy, MLCs Malka Komuraiah and Anji Reddy, and state general secretaries Dr N Gautam Rao, Veerender Goud and Vemula Ashok were among those present.
TNT TS
