HYDERABAD: State BJP president N Ramchander Rao on Monday launched a 48-hour hunger strike, demanding that the state government release the pending fee reimbursement amounts of students.
As police denied permission to stage the hunger strike at Dharna Chowk, Ramchander started the protest at the state BJP headquarters under the banner of ‘Feesula bakayi, BJP ladayi’ (BJP battle for fee dues).
Addressing the gathering, he alleged that the Congress government was ruining the future of nearly 40 lakh students in the state by not releasing the dues and demanded immediate release of `15,000 crore fee reimbursement dues.
The BJP leader alleged that due to the stubborn attitude of the government, students were facing severe hardships and unable to obtain their certificates and losing out on higher education and job opportunities.
Stating that his struggle would not stop until the fee dues issue was resolved, he said that the BJP’s fight regarding fee reimbursement dues would continue under the leadership of BJYM.
“The Congress, which won the elections and formed the government after giving so many assurances in the name of Youth Declaration, betrayed the students,” he alleged.
“The state government, after a high court directive, announced that it would release `2,000 crore in advance for the next year. But it failed to keep the promise,” he added.
Ramchander, meanwhile, challenged AICC leader Rahul Gandhi to visit Telangana and speak about the fee reimbursement issue instead of provoking students in the BJP-ruled states.
BJP MP M Raghunandan Rao alleged that the Congress stands for cheating and betrayal. “There is no match between the assurances given by the Congress before elections and its deeds after coming to power,” he said.
Rajya Sabha member R Krishnaiah also spoke on the occasion.