BRS MLC Kavitha charges Congress govt with forcing Gurukul students to clean toilets

Posting the audio clip on X, BRS MLC K Kavitha strongly criticised the Congress government, describing the incident as discriminatory, exploitative, and a violation of fundamental child rights and dignity. She asserted that it reflects the Revanth Reddy-led administration’s disregard for marginalised communities.

Hyderabad: BRS MLC K Kavitha came down heavily on the Congress government in Telangana, calling it “anti-poor” and “anti-Dalit” policies. She was reacting to an alleged audio clip of a senior officer of the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions, could be heard asking teachers and staff to make students clean toilets and manage kitchens.

She demanded for the immediate removal of the officer and start releasing the required funds every month to run the social welfare schools effectively.

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Sharing the audio clip on X, BRS MLC K Kavitha lashed out at the Congress government, stating that such behavioor is discriminatory, exploitative, and violates basic principles of child rights and dignity. “It only reflects the Revanth Reddy government’s contempt for the marginalised,” she remarked.

The BRS MLC reminded that under the previous BRS regime, each Gurukul school was allocated Rs 40,000 per month for hiring four sanitation workers. These positions were scrapped by the Congress government in August 2023. Moreover, the role of assistant caretakers in 240 schools has reportedly been eliminated, leaving the burden of sweeping, toilet cleaning, and hostel maintenance duties on the students.

“Now, the officer is forcing children to clean toilets in schools,” she said, adding that the statements alleged made by an IAS officer, goes against the very concept of establishing Gurukuls to protect students from marginalised communities from caste and class bias. “This is not teaching dignity of labour, but making children work as labourers and indulging in caste-based exploitation,” she remarked.

Kavitha reminded a recent tragedy in Bhikkanur, Kamareddy district, where a watchman died while cleaning a water tank, and another was seriously injured. “Instead of hiring essential staff, the government is shifting dangerous and degrading responsibilities onto children,” she said.

She took strong objection to the officer’s remarks in the audio clip, stating that just because children at Gurukul schools do not come from posh families, they cannot be treated differently. “Cleaning blackboards in classrooms and common toilets is not same. Will the said officer would make her children clean the common toilets at their school?” she asked.

Kavitha argued that Gurukul schools, which were established to empower SC/ST students and protect them from caste discrimination, are now becoming centres of forced labour and humiliation under the Congress government. “We cannot allow institutions meant for social justice to turn into platforms of oppression,” she asserted.