BJP Challenges Rahul To Face Students in Telangana

Hyderabad: Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao on Sunday challenged Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to visit Hyderabad and listen to the problems of students allegedly affected by the Congress government’s delay in clearing fee reimbursement dues.

In a statement, Rao questioned when Gandhi would bring his ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme to Telangana. He said Gandhi had been touring the country, particularly states governed by the National Democratic Alliance, claiming to represent the concerns of students and youth.

Rao alleged that the future of nearly 20 lakh students belonging to Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Economically Backward Classes was at stake due to the state government’s failure to clear long-pending fee reimbursement dues.

He claimed that several students were unable to pursue higher education or seek employment because educational institutions had withheld their original certificates over unpaid fees. Dues dating back to the 2020–21 academic year remained pending, with estimates placing the total arrears between Rs 10,000 crore and Rs 12,000 crore, he said.

“Is Rahul Gandhi unaware of the situation, or does his concern for students end wherever the Congress is in power,” Rao asked. He said the Telangana High Court had repeatedly questioned the state government over the delay in clearing fee reimbursement dues.

Describing Gandhi as a “leader of propaganda”, Rao recalled his visit to Ashoknagar during the 2023 Assembly election campaign. Gandhi had allegedly promised a job calendar, employment opportunities and an unemployment allowance within 100 days of the Congress coming to power, he said.

Rao alleged that the promises remained unfulfilled even after more than two-and-a-half years of Congress rule. If Gandhi was genuinely concerned about students, he should hold the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Ashok Nagar and face the youth to whom the promises were made, he said.