Gurukula crisis: R.S. Praveen Kumar slams Revanth government

Speaking at a press conference alongside parents of students from various SC welfare schools, he drew attention to the worsening state of Gurukula institutions. He claimed that the negligence of the Revanth Reddy government had pushed numerous underprivileged students to the brink, leaving them "forced onto the streets."

Hyderabad: Accusing the administration of pushing the Gurukula education system into a state of collapse, BRS leader and former IPS officer R.S. Praveen Kumar on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Revanth Reddy government for leaving poor students in distress and compromising their future.

Addressing a news conference along with parents of students from different SC welfare schools, he highlighted the deteriorating conditions of Gurukula institutions. He alleged that the Revanth Reddy government’s negligence has led to a crisis where many underprivileged students are “forced onto the streets.”

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He criticized the government for its failure to maintain the standards set by the previous BRS regime under K. Chandrashekar Rao, who had established Gurukulas to empower SC students to become professionals like engineers and doctors.

Referring to remarks made by IAS officer Alugu Varshini that there was “nothing wrong” with students cleaning their own hostel toilets and cooking their own meals, as it would “build good habits, ” Praveen Kumar condemned the discriminatory stand which he called reflective of a casteist mindset and questioned whether Chief Minister Revanth Reddy or his ministers clean their own toilets at home or expect their children to do so in their schools.

“If this is such a noble reform, why not issue a state-wide Government Order (GO) mandating everyone to clean their own toilets?” he challenged. He accused the government of endorsing such statements to humiliate Dalit students. He further criticized the Chief Minister for claiming to champion the cause of SC communities while allowing policies that discriminate against them to continue. “Revanth Reddy says he is the biggest Madiga and Mala, but how can he allow an IAS officer to say poor students must clean toilets?”, he wondered.

Referring to the historical oppression faced by Dalit communities forced into manual scavenging for centuries, the BRS leader also pointed to specific instances of mismanagement, including the government’s failure to provide a cash incentive to Gurukula student Agasara Nandini, a national badminton gold medalist from a backward caste, and the termination of staff at the Gowlidoddi Gurukula school.

He alleged that orders were issued to expel second-year Intermediate students from the Gowlidoddi campus, further impacting their education. Praveen Kumar accused the government of conspiring to undermine the Gurukula system. There is a considerable drop in admissions in the Congress rule. “Under KCR’s rule, three students competed for one seat in Gurukulas. Now, even after extending deadlines thrice, not even 80,000 students have applied for 40,000 seats,” he said, attributing this to the government’s mismanagement. He also claimed that the Congress government canceled summer camps, closed military schools for girls in Bhongir and failed to pay supplementary exam fees for Gurukula students, leaving them in limbo.

Young India- a pretext for scam

The BRS leader further alleged that the government’s push for “Young India Integrated Residential Schools” was a pretext for a scam, with construction contracts being awarded to Revanth Reddy’s associates. He criticized the lack of a dedicated Education Minister and the appointment of officials who he claimed were unfit to handle the Social Welfare Department due to their insensitivity toward parents and students.

Praveen Kumar also highlighted the government’s failure to pay salaries to outsourcing and part-time staff in Gurukulas and the allocation of just one electrician for three schools, adding to infrastructure issues. He questioned why ministers like Bhatti Vikramarka and Damodar Rajanarsimha, along with SC MLAs, have not held the Chief Minister accountable and accused them of remaining silent in the face of injustice.

Demanding immediate action, Dr. Praveen Kumar called for the suspension of IAS officer Alugu Varshini for her discriminatory remarks and urged the government to address the Gurukula crisis. “The Gurukula system is in danger, and it is the responsibility of the state to protect it,” he asserted.