Hyderabad, August 27: Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao alleged that police placed him under house arrest on Thursday.
Rao said police stopped him from visiting Government Polytechnic College in Ramanthapur to meet students protesting against GO 97.
He said police arrived at his Tarnaka residence early in the morning. They reportedly cited government instructions for restricting his movement.
Rao said he agreed to stay home after learning that police had deployed a large force at the college.
He alleged the move was aimed at preventing a confrontation between police and protesting students. Similar clashes were reported during earlier demonstrations.
GO 97 Triggers Protests Across Telangana
Rao said students had invited him to discuss their concerns. The students had earlier visited his hunger strike camp at the BJP state office.
He accused the Congress government of preventing political leaders from engaging with students. He also alleged that the government was functioning with an “emergency mindset.”
Polytechnic students have protested for more than a week against GO 97, issued on July 3.
The order renamed the Labour, Employment, Training and Factories Depabrtment as SHAKTI. It also brought government polytechnic colleges under its ambit along with the Young India Skills University.
Students fear the restructuring could affect ECET, which enables diploma holders to enter undergraduate engineering courses through lateral entry.
They also fear the move could reduce their education to skill based training. Protests have been reported in Ramanthapur, Secunderabad, Mahabubabad, Nalgonda, Vikarabad and Patancheru.
The government has said it will form a coordination task force to address the concerns. However, it has not withdrawn the order.
Rao described the proposed committee as an “eyewash” unless the government withdraws GO 97 completely.
Rao also raised pending fee reimbursement dues of Rs 15,000 crore. He had ended a 48 hour hunger strike over the issue days earlier.
He also demanded higher stipends for AYUSH students. Rao said Telangana pays lower stipends than neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
He further criticised Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who also holds the education portfolio.
Rao alleged staff shortages in schools and universities and opposed the government’s school rationalisation programme.
He said he would remain at his residence until police personnel left. He added that he would seek another opportunity to meet the protesting students.
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