Hyderabad

TelanganaBJP president N Ramchander Rao (NRR) on Thursday wrote an open letter in Italian to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, urging him to listen to the 'goonj' (echo) of students in the state over pending dues under the tuition fees reimbursement scheme.

"Hunger strikes, protests, lathicharges, arrests, student letters to CM, and yet the Goonj of Telangana’s students has neither reached Rahul Gandhi nor his arrogant Congress government. So I decided to write to @RahulGandhi in his mother tongue," Rao said in post on X.

Despite repeated appeals and protests by BJP demanding the release of long-pending fee reimbursement dues, the Congress government has failed to respond to the students' plight, he alleged in the letter.

During his interactions with students across Telangana, one question has repeatedly emerged: "Why does Rahul Gandhi not hear our Goonj?" he asked.

Rao contended that the future of nearly 40 lakh students, particularly those belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes and economically weaker sections, is in jeopardy because of pending fee reimbursement dues amounting to approximately Rs 15,000 crore.

He pointed out that colleges are not giving certificates to students because the government has "failed" to clear the fee reimbursement scheme dues, making it difficult for students to pursue higher education or get jobs.

With the Congress government not clearing the dues, the academic institutions are struggling to function, with many employees receiving only half of their salaries, he said.

When BJP planned to undertake protests, the Congress government sought to suppress the expression of grievances by carrying out arrests, police cases and lathi charges, he alleged.

Even when he decided to undertake a hunger strike, the government denied permission for the proposed venue, compelling him to hold it at the BJP state office, Rao said.