Published Jul 24, 2026 | 7:21 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 24, 2026 | 7:21 PM
BRS Working President K Taraka Ramarao at BRSV's protest at Dharna Chowk (Sreshta Ladegaam/ South First)
Synopsis: BRS Working President KT Rama Rao led a BRSV protest at Hyderabad’s Dharna Chowk in support of students demanding accountability from the Union Government over NEET paper leak and CBSE evaluation errors. Addressing the gathering, KTR criticised the Centre’s handling of the protests, and demanded Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, withdrawal of police cases against protesting students, and an apology for police excesses.
Hyderabad’s Dharna Chowk has become the centre of agitations in the state, with multiple protests over the last month in support of students demanding accountability from the Union Government over NEET paper leaks, CBSE correction mistakes, and scores of other irregularities in the country’s education system.
Just this week alone, three major protests were organised at the historic site near Indira Park in support of students protesting in Delhi. Thousands of youth and student activists once again gathered here on the morning of Friday, 24 July, in accordance with the protest call by BRS party’s student wing, Bharat Rashtra Samithi Vidyarthi Vibhagam (BRSV).
The demonstration gained significance as this was the first major public event by BRS in support of the student protests. BRS Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) joined the meet wearing a black shirt in protest against the violence meted out to students at Jantar Mantar and the Sansad Marg by the Delhi Police.
KTR announced his participation a day earlier on social media, saying force could not silence the country’s youth, and chose to skip his 50th birthday celebrations to attend instead.
The protest call and the choice of venue grabbed eyeballs as the Dharna Chowk was effectively shut down during the BRS years. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy took potshots at KTR and BRS, reminding them that it was his Congress government that once again issued permissions for protests at the location.
Also Read: Hyderabad’s bullet-train push: Whose sacrifice is it? For whose benefit?
Large numbers of students, BRS and BRSV leaders, and several former Ministers, MLAs, and senior BRS functionaries turned out at Indira Park for the programme. Former Minister and Maheshwaram MLA Sabitha Indra Reddy chose to sit amongst the protesting students in the crowd.
The Indira Park street turned pink with the BRS cadre’s banners and flags in support of the party. Slogans such as ‘Jai Telangana’ and ‘Jai Bhim’ echoed at the site. The organisers at the protest site allowed several Gen Z students to occupy the dais alongside KTR.
KTR was seated among students holding posters on the stage and requested a protester in the crowd to hand over his placard, which read ‘Education minister must resign’. The premises were packed with people, almost creating a stampede-like situation.
Jahnavi, a student at Osmania University, shared her ordeal of attending the protest in Delhi at Jantar Mantar.
“Our train from Hyderabad was delayed for over 10 hours. We were late to the march to Parliament. We only wanted to protest peacefully. Why did they try to stop us? Why is the government so scared of students?” she asked.
A NEET aspirant, Namrata, shared that she had originally made the cut-off but the re-NEET exam severely hampered her chances.
Expressing her sorrow over losing out on an MBBS seat, she said, “My family is not allowing me to take another drop year for preparation. We all put in so much effort into securing a spot to study medicine. We want justice.”
Another student, Aishwarya, attacked the BJP leadership for protecting rapists and child abusers.
“If you could be so quick in securing bail for a POCSO accused Union Minister’s son, what’s taking you so long in delivering justice to the affected students? We can tell where your priorities lie,” she added, referring to Bandi Bageerath, Minister of State Bandi Sanjay, who recently obtained regular bail at the Telangana High Court.
Students and other young people on the stage appealed for the state’s youth to extend support to the protests by putting aside religious and political differences.
Also Read: Bandh over NEET paper leak: Educational institutions across Telangana remain closed on Friday
Addressing the gathering, KTR said the protest were a non-partisan show of support for the student movement rather than a party political exercise, invoking the memory of Telangana’s own youth-driven statehood agitation as inspiration.
“Any human being with conscience must be disturbed looking at the visuals coming out of Delhi. They are beating the students to pulp. What did these students even ask for? Did they ask for Modi or Amit Shah’s posts? Did they ask for power? Why were they met with such brutality?” asked KTR in reference to police action against student protesters.
KTR called out sections of the mainstream media for failing to provide adequate coverage for Sonam Wangchuk and the striking students, saying, “The children took it into their own hands. They harnessed the power of social media to make their voices reach every corner of the country.”
KTR warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Government not to mess with the students, and that they should be careful while addressing their issues. He referenced a famous line from the blockbuster film Bahubali and said, ‘Rajyama Ulikkipadu’, which roughly translates to ‘the kingdom must flinch in shock’.
He argued that the mood among India’s youth was shifting and that dismissing the protesters as extremists or anti-nationals was misguided. He alleged that the government’s job-creation promises had gone unmet and accused it of running a ‘Leak in India’ program rather than the “Make in India” record it claims.
On the government’s response so far, KTR expressed that the administration should have reached out to the students long ago.
“By now, members of the Union Government who have any empathy left should have had a dialogue with the students, negotiated with them, and resolved this, but they failed”, he said.
KTR recalled George Reddy saying, “We must never forget what a young man said right here on this land 50 years ago: Jeena ha toh marna seekho, kadam kadam par ladna seekho,” a slogan that became a rallying cry for major student agitations in Telangana.
He shared that the younger generation would not be deterred by the Union Government’s tactics of weaponising government agencies like the ED and CBI, and they would not mind bringing the government down if needed. He cited the revolts in Nepal and Sri Lanka as examples of Gen Z’s resolve, and warned the Union Government of similar consequences if it failed to mend its ways.
He went on to criticise the state BJP leadership for not working in the interest of Telangana. He said that the eight MPs the state elected from the party have failed their constituents.
He ended his address by listing three demands on behalf of the students: Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, unconditional withdrawal of police cases filed against protesting students, and an apology for alleged excesses committed against them.
KTR also criticised Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, alleging that the Chief Minister lacked the nerve to confront the Centre directly on the issue.
“Why didn’t Revanth go to Delhi to join their party leadership in protests? Even the state leadership was strong enough to march at the Raj Bhavan, but the CM ran to Kodangal like a scaredy-cat,” he claimed, mocking Revanth Reddy’s rally in his constituency condemning the arrest of Rahul Gandhi.
He also accused Revanth Reddy of collusion with the BJP, alleging that the Chief Minister never directly addressed Modi but had always directed his criticism only towards BRS. He particularly took issue with the Chief Minister’s claims that KTR was associated with Globarena, the tech company infamous for the on-screen marking system (OSM) behind the 2019 Telangana Intermediate examination results and the 2026 CBSE Class 12 Board examinations.
“I have already sent him a legal notice over it. If he has any proof of my affiliation with them, I don’t mind being punished right here at Indira Park,” said KTR.
The protest was not without friction. Leaders from Youth Congress reportedly obstructed KTR’s convoy when he was on his way to Indira Park. The police stepped in to clear the way and detained the protesters.
