Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will lead a candlelight rally in Hyderabad on Saturday evening to protest the alleged attacks on students demonstrating in Delhi and the Centre’s handling of the alleged NEET paper leak issue.
The rally, organised by the ruling Congress, is scheduled to begin at People’s Plaza and proceed to the Indira Gandhi statue on Necklace Road. Senior Congress leaders said the event is aimed at expressing solidarity with students and demanding accountability over the alleged examination irregularities.
Senior Congress leaders to join protest
According to Congress sources, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud, state ministers, MLAs and other party leaders will participate in the march.
The rally is expected to witness the participation of party workers and supporters from different parts of the state, with leaders reiterating their demand for transparency and fairness in the conduct of national-level competitive examinations.
Educational institutions remain shut
Several educational institutions across Telangana remained closed on Friday following a bandh called by Left-affiliated student unions protesting the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET examination.
The bandh affected normal academic activities in various districts, with student organisations staging demonstrations and rallies to highlight their demands.
The All India Students’ Federation (AISF) claimed that the shutdown received widespread support across the state.
Student unions stage demonstrations
Student organisations, including the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the All India Students’ Federation (AISF), the Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU) and other Left-backed groups, participated in the protest.
In Hyderabad, student activists enforcing the bandh at educational institutions in Narayanaguda organised a rally from Narayanaguda to Himayatnagar.
Raising slogans against the alleged NEET paper leak, the protesters demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, a thorough investigation into the alleged irregularities and strict action against those found responsible.
The demonstrators also sought ₹1 crore as ex gratia for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the controversy surrounding the examination.
BRS also joins protest
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) also staged protests over the issue, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Political parties and student organisations have continued to intensify their protests, alleging that the controversy has undermined students’ confidence in the examination system and calling for reforms to ensure greater transparency and accountability.
The Congress-led candlelight rally on Saturday is expected to add momentum to the ongoing protests, with leaders asserting that students deserve a fair and credible examination process.