Harish Rao Arrested En Route To Students’ Protest

Former minister and BRS Legislature Party deputy leader T. Harish Rao was arrested as he was on his way to extend support to protesting polytechnic students in Warangal on Thursday.

Harish Rao demanded that the merger of government polytechnic colleges with the Skill University be halted and GO 97 withdrawn, alleging that the government was playing with the future of students.

Speaking to the media outside Subedari police station, Harish Rao questioned the action against students protesting to safeguard their future. “Are those children terrorists?” he asked, criticising the government for filing cases and making arrests. He also questioned why he was arrested while going to hear the grievances of Warangal polytechnic students.

Harish Rao alleged that merging government polytechnic colleges with the Skill University, established under the PPP model, could eventually lead to privatisation and higher fees. He said the move would particularly affect poor students who were currently able to pursue technical education at affordable fees.

He also claimed that the decision could affect opportunities for diploma students to secure direct admission into the second year of engineering courses under AICTE norms.

Harish Rao said similar decisions had been withdrawn in Andhra Pradesh and that the model had failed in Delhi. He demanded that Telangana learn from these experiences and withdraw GO 97.

He also urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to visit Telangana and respond to issues concerning students and unemployed youth, asking, “One rule for Delhi and another for Telangana?”

Harish Rao alleged that the authorities had stopped the mess facility and locked the college gates after learning about his visit, preventing students from coming out. Referring to alleged incidents involving students in Mahbubabad and Suryapet, he demanded that the DGP take action against those responsible.

Criticising the government’s handling of the protests, Harish Rao alleged that Telangana was moving towards “police rule” instead of people’s governance. He warned that failure to withdraw GO 97 would lead to strong resistance from the youth.