Harish Rao emphasised that children's safety and nutrition must be prioritised to restore confidence among parents and secure the future of Telangana’s marginalised communities.
Hyderabad: BRS leader T. Harish Rao has raised concerns over the worsening conditions in Telangana’s Gurukul residential schools, following a series of tragic incidents.
Harish Rao highlighted recent student deaths and health crises, and questioned Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on who would take responsibility for the alleged toll of 93 student deaths over the past 20 months. He also urged the state government to take swift and effective measures to ensure student safety and well-being.
In recent months, multiple incidents have caused alarm and panic across Telangana.
A student died at Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Boys Gurukul College in Karunapuram, Hanamkonda; a girl committed suicide at the BC Girls Gurukul in Tupranpeta, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri; and 15 students were hospitalised due to food poisoning at the ST Girls Gurukul in Devarakonda, Nalgonda district. Additionally, students at the BC Gurukul in Shamirpet protested against insect-infested food, demanding better-quality meals.
In his social media post on 'X', Harish Rao questioned the accountability of the current administration and reminded the public that Revanth Reddy had previously promised personal oversight to improve the conditions of Gurukul schools, but has yet to deliver visible improvements. Harish Rao criticised the Congress government for neglecting the education and welfare of hundreds of thousands of BC, SC, and ST children.
The BRS leader contrasted the current situation with the previous BRS government’s tenure, during which, he claimed, Gurukuls were regarded as national models of residential education. He warned that ongoing neglect threatens to derail Telangana’s educational progress and urged immediate government intervention.
“It has been a year since promises were made to set up a green channel to pay mess charges for BC, SC, and ST Gurukuls in the state, but nothing has been implemented. The students are suffering as they are being provided with half-cooked rice, watery sambar, and poor-quality dal. The bills are not being paid to contractors, resulting in students not receiving eggs and fruits,” Harish Rao said.
Stating that students have been committing suicide due to their inability to cope with poor food and unhygienic conditions in Gurukuls, Harish Rao said the BRS demands that the state government ensure the provision of quality food, prevent food poisoning, and implement urgent measures to stop further student suicides. He emphasised that children's safety and nutrition must be prioritised to restore confidence among parents and secure the future of Telangana’s marginalised communities.
