Hyderabad, Sep 8 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party’s Telangana unit on Tuesday sought intervention of Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla to press the state government to immediately release fee reimbursement dues.

A delegation of BJP leaders led by the party’s state president N. Ramchander Rao met the Governor and submitted a memorandum requesting him to put pressure on the arrogant Congress government to release long-pending fee reimbursement dues.

The BJP said that the pending dues of Rs 15,000 crore were affecting 40 lakh students. Ramchander Rao alleged that Congress is blind to student concerns, and when the BJP raises the issue, Congress responds with lathi charge and arrests.

He told media persons after the meeting that dues have put not just students’ lives in jeopardy, but colleges too, with many unable to pay salaries to teachers and paying only 50 per cent of their salaries.

Alleging that the education system has completely collapsed under Congress rule, he said they requested the Governor to put pressure on the Congress government.

The state BJP chief said it was appalling that the Chief Minister, who holds the education portfolio, has not even responded to the issue. Even more reprehensible is the action taken against Yuva Morcha activists by subjecting them to lathi-charges, filing illegal cases, and arresting them.

Some Yuva Morcha activists, who were injured in the police lathi-charge, were also part of the delegation which called on the Governor.

The delegation explained to the Governor that due to the negligence of the government, more than 40 lakh students from poor and weaker sections are facing severe difficulties in not getting their certificates, and the college staff are being paid only half of their salaries.

The Governor was informed that the previous government of BRS had kept pending fee reimbursement and after the Congress government came to power, the dues have increased to a whopping Rs 15,000 crore.

The delegation stated that on the direction of the High Court, fee reimbursement was released only to fresh students, but the students who are already studying in the colleges or have passed out have not received the reimbursement.

It was brought to the Governor’s notice that Ramchander was on a two-day hunger strike over the issue while over eight lakh students wrote letters to the Chief Minister, but the government did not respond. The BJP also sought time from the Chief Minister to submit the letters written by students, but the appointment was denied.

–IANS

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