Kavitha holds dharna with students over fee reimbursement

Before the dharna, Kavitha held a rally from the Ambedkar statue in Hanamkonda to the District Collectorate office to submit a representation.

Hyderabad: Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS) president Kalvakuntla Kavitha held a rally with students in Hanamkonda on Monday, September 7, demanding payment of fee reimbursement dues and resolution of students’ issues.

The rally began at the Ambedkar statue, where Kavitha paid homage by garlanding it, from where the TRS chief, along with party supporters and students, walked to the District Collectorate office to submit a representation.

“The government is causing trouble by not paying the students’ fee dues,” Kavitha said. “This Chief Minister once said that he would remove the intermediate education system, and again, he said that the polytechnic should be merged with the skill university.”

One tap — then press “Add” on Google

She connected the rise in youth unemployment to the non-payment of the fee reimbursements, noting that many graduates remain jobless despite completing their degrees. “We will fight this government until the fee reimbursement dues are paid.”

Dharna outside Collector’s office

Kavitha and the student protestors staged a sit-in on the road for nearly an hour, with their core demand being that the government pay the fee reimbursements and resolve all students’ problems.

Hanamkonda District Collector Chahat Bajpai later met with the TRS chief and students, during which she was informed of several problems arising from the non-payment of fee reimbursement arrears. Kavitha claimed that smaller private colleges are shutting down and that students are facing issues even after graduation, as college management are withholding certificates.

District Collector assures to forward representation to higher authorities

District Collector Bajpai, after listening to their complaints, said that three to four students generally attend the ‘Prajavani’ or public grievance program at the Collectorate every Monday, where non-issuance of certificates due to unpaid fee reimbursement is discussed. She assured them that district officials are making efforts to resolve the issue by regularly speaking with various college managements.

Kavitha, however, pointed out that college managements are facing difficulties as well due to the long-pending fee arrears and requested that the matter be brought to the state government’s attention for a proper resolution. Bajpai said their representation would be forwarded to higher authorities.

The Opposition has repeatedly demanded that the Congress-led state government clear the pending fee-reimbursement dues, with Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party president Ramchander Rao being detained in connection with similar protests.