Ramchander Rao Ends Fast, Demands Immediate Clearance Of ₹12,000 Crore Fee Dues

Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao on Tuesday ended his hunger strike demanding the immediate release of pending fee reimbursement dues for students across the state. The protest, organised under the banner ‘Fee Dues – BJP Fight’, began on August 24 at the BJP state office in Hyderabad.

BJP MP K. Laxman ended the fast by offering lemon juice to Ramchander Rao. Speaking after the conclusion of the protest, the BJP state president alleged that the Congress government had failed to clear nearly ₹12,000 crore in fee reimbursement dues, putting the educational prospects of around 20 lakh students at risk.

Ramchander Rao said the pending amount stood at around ₹8,000 crore when the previous BRS government left office in December 2023 and had since increased to approximately ₹12,000 crore. He alleged that the prolonged delay was creating serious difficulties for both students and private educational institutions.

According to him, several private colleges were being forced to withhold students’ certificates because of the unpaid dues. Colleges were also struggling to meet operational expenses and pay salaries to their staff, he claimed.

K. Laxman criticised Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, alleging that the government was making claims about improving the education system while failing to address basic problems affecting students and institutions. He called for the immediate release of the outstanding reimbursements to protect students’ futures and reduce the financial burden on economically weaker families.

Ramchander Rao also pointed to the difficulties faced by retired teachers, saying they were being forced to stage protests to secure their pending benefits. He challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to visit Hyderabad and respond to the concerns surrounding fee reimbursement dues.

The BJP leaders said the party would continue its campaign until the concerns of students and their families were addressed. Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender and MLAs Aleti Maheshwar Reddy, Payal Shanker and Ramarao Patel, among other party leaders, supported the protest and attended the conclusion of the fast.