‘Police Rule, Not People’s Rule’. Kishan Reddy Slams Congress Over Go 97, BJP Leaders’ Arrests
Union minister accuses Telangana government of police action against protesting students
Hyderabad: Union minister G. Kishan Reddy on Thursday accused the state government of running a “police-ruled administration” rather than a people’s government and demanded immediate, unconditional withdrawal of the controversial GO 97, proposing merger of government polytechnic colleges and ITIs into the Young India Skill University (YISU).
In a statement, Kishan Reddy condemned the lathi-charge and arrest of students protesting across the state against GO 97. “From Indira Park, Masab Tank and Ramanthapur to Wanaparthy and Parkala, students have taken to the roads demanding protection of their future. Instead of listening, the government is ordering baton charges and arrests,” he said.
The minister denounced the house arrest of BJP state president N. Ramchander Rao and other party leaders who were on their way to support the Ramanthapur Government Polytechnic College students’ agitation. He called it an act of “cowardice” on the part of the Revanth Reddy dispensation and questioned why Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had been touring the country with a copy of the Constitution in hand, remained silent on student rights being “trampled” in Congress-ruled Telangana.
Kishan Reddy alleged that GO 97 is part of a “conspiracy” to cripple the state’s technical education system, undermine the State Board of Technical Education and Training (SBTET), and snatch away higher-education opportunities, including TG ECET-based lateral entry to BTech, from polytechnic students. Student bodies have alleged that the move would reduce polytechnic education to a mere “skill certificate” route and jeopardise career prospects.
Terming the high-level committee set up by the government to study the issue as an eyewash, the Union minister said “delay tactics” would not be tolerated. “The Revanth Reddy government must immediately stop its conspiracies to deny students their rightful path to higher education and unconditionally revoke GO 97,” he said.
Kishan Reddy reiterated that the BJP would stand firmly with Telangana’s students and continue an uncompromising struggle till their demands are met.