HYDERABAD: Targeting both the Centre and state government over the NEET paper leak and nationwide protests, BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Friday demanded Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, while alleging that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy was diverting the people’s attention from students’ issues instead of confronting the Union government.
Participating in a protest at Dharna Chowk here, the former minister said: “Promising ‘Make in India’, the BJP-led Union government delivered ‘Leak in India’.”
“While the Centre was suppressing the voices of students and youth, Revanth Reddy was helping divert public attention from its failures,” he alleged.
Alleging that the state government was acting as a shield for the BJP, he asserted that both the Centre and state failed the younger generation — one by suppressing their voices and the other by refusing to challenge that suppression.
Rama Rao said the overwhelming response to the dharna reflected growing anger against the Centre’s handling of issues, particularly the NEET paper leak and the alleged crackdown on student protests.
The Sircilla MLA said the voice of the country’s youth could not be silenced through force or intimidation. “Every attempt to suppress democratic dissent would only strengthen the movement,” he added.
The BRS leader demanded the resignation of the Union education minister, holding him morally accountable for repeated examination irregularities and the Centre’s failure to safeguard the interests of students.
He urged the Union government to engage in a meaningful dialogue with the agitating students instead of resorting to repression and intimidation.
Rama Rao alleged that the BJP government betrayed the aspirations of millions of students and unemployed youth while refusing to take responsibility for repeated irregularities in conducting the examinations. He alleged that those demanding accountability were being targeted instead of those responsible for the failures and described it as a dangerous trend.
He also alleged that instead of leading a united fight against the Centre on an issue affecting students across the country, the chief minister was targeting the BRS for political gains. “Revanth Reddy is adopting double standards by avoiding direct confrontation with the BJP while attempting to divert attention through attacks on the BRS,” he said.
