Police detained several Bharat Rashtra Vidyarthi Samithi (BRSV) leaders and students in Hyderabad on Friday after they attempted to march towards the Telangana Legislative Assembly over pending scholarships and the withdrawal of Government Order No. 97 concerning polytechnic colleges.
The protesters gathered near the Assembly and tried to proceed towards the premises, but police stopped them from advancing and prevented them from entering the complex. Security was stepped up around the Assembly during the protest.
BRSV leader Prashant Goud said the government should immediately release Rs 12,000 crore in pending scholarships. He also demanded the withdrawal of GO No. 97 and alleged that the government was ignoring problems faced by students.
The protest centred on student funding and the order related to polytechnic colleges. The organisation said the demands had not been addressed and warned that it would intensify its agitation if the government continued to remain unresponsive.
Goud also threatened to lay siege to the residence of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy if GO No. 97 was not withdrawn. He said the BRSV would adopt stronger forms of protest in the coming period.
The police action took place as the protesters attempted to move towards the Assembly, a high-security state institution in Hyderabad. The report did not specify the number of people detained or indicate whether they were later released. It also did not include a response from the Telangana government or the police on the protesters’ demands, the scholarship arrears or GO No. 97.
The BRSV’s next course of action and any government response to the demands remain to be announced.
