Activists of the Student Federation of India staging a protest at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: K.V.S. GIRI
Former MLC K.S. Lakshman Rao on Saturday accused the TDP-led coalition government in Andhra Pradesh of making a volte face on its stand on the education sector.
Addressing a protest staged by the State unit of the Student Federation of India (SFI), at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada on Saturday, Mr. Lakshman Rao alleged that before coming to power, the TDP had promised to develop the education sector, but after assuming office, it completely neglected the students.
He recalled that HRD Minister Nara Lokesh, during his Yuva Galam padayatra, had assured that all pending fee reimbursement dues would be cleared immediately once his party came to power. The promises was now being ignored, he said.
The SFI organised a rally from Besant Road to Dharna Chowk, demanding resolution of problems plaguing the education sector. The rally culminated in a dharna.
SFI State president P. Rammohan and secretary K. Prasanna Kumar alleged that the BJP government at the Centre and the TDP government in the State made education inaccessible to the poor and middle-class students.
They demanded immediate release of pending fee reimbursement dues of ₹6,400 crore, as many college managements were withholding hall-tickets and certificates of students due to non-payment of fees.
They said welfare hostels were in a dilapidated state. The government failed to act even after the High Court made an observation that hostels lacked basic facilities, they said, and demanded an increase in mess charges and cosmetic charges in line with rising prices.
In public universities, the posts of Vice-Chancellor and professor were lying vacant, they said. They further said G.O.s 35, 36, and 42 were a threat for aided educational institutions and, therefore, they must be revoked. Aided school students should be provided textbooks and covered under the Mid-Day Meal scheme, they demanded.
Police removing the SFI activists from Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
K.V.S. GIRI
Instead of addressing students’ issues, the government resorted to police highhandedness against the federation leaders, they alleged.
Condemning the arrest of their leaders, they demanded their immediate release and warned the government that if the problems were not resolved, the federation would intensify its agitation.
Published – September 06, 2025 07:04 pm IST
