Youngsters turn up in large numbers at Indira Park protest, KTR warns Modi over youth agitations
BRS working president KT Rama Rao joined students protesting paper leaks at Indira Park, warning Prime Minister Narendra Modi that youth unrest has brought down governments globally. Demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, KTR accused the Centre of ignoring student grievances
Hyderabad: Extending solidarity to the youth protesting against the BJP-led Central government, BRS working president KT Rama Rao warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the consequences of youth unrest and said governments had been brought down by agitating youngsters.
He said the mood among the country’s youth was changing and they were no longer afraid. Citing Nepal and Sri Lanka, he said governments there had fallen following public agitations.
“Modiji, you have picked a fight with the wrong people by taking on the youth. Beware,” Rama Rao said while participating in a BRS student wing protest against the alleged assault on students in Delhi at Indira Park on Friday.
The BRS working president skipped his birthday celebrations to participate in the protest. A large number of youngsters, including many with no political affiliation, attended the programme.
The atmosphere at the venue remained charged as the participants demanded accountability and transparency from the Central government.
During the protest, a young participant questioned why a POCSO accused received bail quickly while the Centre had not responded to repeated question paper leak incidents. Her remarks drew loud cheers from the gathering.
Addressing the gathering, Rama Rao asked whether any of the eight BJP MPs from Telangana could answer the question raised by the youngster.
He said the BRSV protest had no political agenda and was organised only to support students and condemn the Delhi government’s alleged assault on them.
“I am here as a parent to express my solidarity with the youngsters, their anguish and their demand for justice. BRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao has also expressed concern over the way students’ protests are being handled. He is closely following the developments and will respond if necessary,” Rama Rao said.
He alleged that students demanding accountability were being branded as terrorists, anti-nationals and Pakistanis. Instead of engaging with them and resolving their concerns, the Centre had chosen confrontation, he charged.
Rama Rao said the Prime Minister should understand that the present generation was not intimidated by agencies such as the CBI, ED and Income Tax Department. He warned that the anger among the youth of Telangana and across the country could pose a serious political challenge to the Modi government.
He said the students’ anger was not limited to paper leak incidents but reflected frustration over what he described as the Centre’s failures during the past 12 years. According to him, the youth believed the government was avoiding its responsibilities by diverting attention to religious issues.
“The youth are on the streets because Modiji failed to fulfil his promise of creating two crore jobs every year. When the country asked for ‘Make in India’, the BJP delivered ‘Leak in India’,” Rama Rao said.
Questioning the Centre, he asked what was unreasonable about the students’ demand for justice and protection of their future. “Have they asked for the Prime Minister’s chair or a union Minister’s post?” he said.
Referring to activist Sonam Wangchuk, Rama Rao said he had protested for reforms in the education sector and raised the NEET paper leak issue.
He added that Gen Z youth had mobilised nationwide support through social media despite limited mainstream media coverage.
Rama Rao demanded the resignation of union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, withdrawal of all police cases registered against students and an unconditional apology for the alleged atrocities committed against them.
