Hyderabad, July 2026 : Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) on Thursday announced that he will participate in a protest organised by the party’s student wing, BRSV, in Hyderabad on Friday to express solidarity with students protesting over the alleged NEET examination paper leak and to condemn the reported crackdown on demonstrators in Delhi.
The protest, scheduled to be held at Indira Park at 10 a.m., is expected to draw a large gathering of students, youth and BRS workers. According to the party, the demonstration is aimed at supporting students demanding accountability over examination irregularities and highlighting concerns over the handling of protests in the national capital.
Making the announcement on social media platform X, KTR said the voices of students and young people could not be silenced through force and urged citizens to stand in defence of democratic rights.
“The voice of India’s youth cannot be crushed through force. I will be joining the BRSV protest tomorrow at 10:00 AM at Indira Park, Hyderabad, in solidarity against the brutal crackdown on students and youth in Delhi,” he wrote.
Appealing for wider participation, the former Telangana minister called upon students, youth and citizens who believe in democratic values to join the demonstration.
“I appeal to students, youth and everyone who believes in democracy to join us in standing up for the constitutional right to dissent,” he added.
In an official statement, the BRS said the protest has been organised to express solidarity with students and youth allegedly facing suppression while demanding justice in the wake of the NEET paper leak controversy. The party accused the Central Government of responding to peaceful protests with harsh measures and said the demonstration would serve as a platform to condemn such actions.
The BRS also confirmed that KTR would personally participate in the programme to extend support to the students’ movement. Party leaders expect large-scale participation from students, youth organisations and BRSV activists from across Hyderabad and neighbouring districts.
The Hyderabad protest comes amid growing nationwide demonstrations over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination, with student organisations and Opposition parties demanding greater transparency, accountability and action against those responsible for examination-related lapses.
Meanwhile, a joint forum of student organisations has called for a statewide bandh of educational institutions across Telangana on Friday, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak and other examination-related irregularities.
Several prominent student organisations have extended support to the bandh, including the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students’ Federation (AISF), National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU), All India Forum for Democratic Students (AIFDS), All India Students Bloc (AISB) and the All India Progressive Students Union (AIPSU).
The student bodies have urged schools, colleges and universities across Telangana to suspend academic activities for the day and participate in peaceful demonstrations demanding reforms in the examination system. They have also called for stronger safeguards to prevent paper leaks and ensure fairness in competitive examinations that impact the careers of lakhs of students.
The BRS’s decision to actively support the student movement adds a significant political dimension to the ongoing protests. With KTR leading Friday’s demonstration in Hyderabad and multiple student organisations planning coordinated protests across Telangana, the agitation over the NEET controversy is expected to gain further momentum in the state.
Team Maverick.
