Hyderabad, Jul 24 (PTI): Several educational institutions observed bandh on Friday in Telangana following a call by Left-affiliated students unions to protest against the alleged irregularities in the conduct of NEET. The BRS also held protests seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradan.
SFI, AISF, PDSU and other Left-backed students took part in the bandh. The shutdown was successful across the state, the All India Students' Federation said.
The students unions, who enforced the shutdown of several educational institutions at Narayanaguda, took out a rally from Narayanaguda to Himayatnagar.
Raising slogans, they demanded the resignation of Pradhan, Rs one crore ex-gratia to those who died by suicide after the paper leak and tough punishment for those guilty in NEET issue.
Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) Telangana members also staged a protest demanding the resignation of Minister Pradhan.
BRS Working President K T Rama Rao, who addressed a protest organised by his party's students wing, claimed that the students are angry not just with question papers leaked, but due to PM Modi's "unfulfilled promise of two crore jobs per year".
He alleged that security personnel committed atrocities against protesters, including women, in Delhi on July 20.
He demanded the resignation of Pradhan and withdrawal of cases against protesting youth in the country.
The Gen Z protests in Nepal and Sri Lanka dislodged governments from power and Modi should be cautious and not take on the young generation, Rao said.
The youth has understood the "politics of religion of the BJP during the last 12 years," he said.
BRS leader Krishank Manne told PTI Videos that Rao decided to stay away from his 50th birthday celebrations and participated in the protest to express solidarity with youth and students.
The BRS chose to hold the protest at Indira Park as ruling Congress had promised two lakh jobs in one year, among others, as it is close to Ashok Nagar. It was at Ashok Nagar that the Congress had made the promises before the 2023 assembly elections, he said.
Meanwhile, Congress activists, led by former MP Anjan Kumar Yadav, sought to take out a rally from Adarsh Nagar to the Dharna Chowk at Indira Park. However, they were taken away by the police.
The Congress workers planned to reach Indira Park to question Rao on the previous BRS government dismantling the Dharna Chowk, the venue for protests in the city.
Though the BRS government disallowed protests at Dharna Chowk, the Congress resumed it after coming to power in 2023, Yadav said.
(PTI)
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.