BJP workers detained during protest in Telangana
Hyderabad, September 7, 2026: BJP Telangana on September 7 intensified its campaign demanding the release of Rs 15,000 crore in pending fee reimbursement dues and scholarships for students, with BJP state president N. Ramchander Rao and BJYM state president Ganesh Kunde among those detained during a protest near the Telangana Assembly.
The BJP alleged that the Congress government had used the police to suppress peaceful demonstrations demanding payment of the pending dues.
Ramchander Rao and Ganesh Kunde spoke to the media from the Golconda Police Station, where they were detained following the Assembly protest.
According to the BJP, it had sought permission from a DCP-rank officer on September 6 to hold a peaceful protest at Dharna Chowk to highlight students’ concerns, but permission was denied.
The party said it subsequently called for an Assembly protest as a democratic form of protest.
Ramchander Rao criticised the police action during the demonstration, alleging that several BJP leaders and workers were injured in pushing and lathi-charge and that some had to be hospitalised.
He also alleged that Sarala, a Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) corporator from Ameerpet, fell seriously ill while police were detaining her during the protest near the Assembly.
According to Rao, she was receiving emergency treatment in an ICU at a hospital near Kulsumpura Police Station.
The BJP state president said the party had been raising the issue of fee reimbursement arrears for some time. He claimed that the BJYM had earlier collected signatures from around 8 lakh students across Telangana and attempted to submit the representation to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, but was not granted an appointment.
Rao further alleged that BJP leaders were arrested when they attempted to meet the Chief Secretary to raise the issue and that the government had also prevented an earlier hunger strike and a student maha dharna at Dharna Chowk on September 6.
The BJP leader claimed that more than 600 BJP and BJYM workers were detained on Monday in areas including Afzalgunj, Goshamahal and Kanchanbagh. He said around 50 leaders, including BJP state general secretary Dr N. Gautham Rao, state chief spokesperson and media in-charge N.V. Subhash, and BJYM state president Ganesh Kunde, were being held at Golconda Police Station.
“Arrests and illegal cases cannot stop our movement,” Rao said, asserting that the BJP would continue its agitation and pressure the Congress government until the pending student fee reimbursement amounts were released.
Ganesh Kunde accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of neglecting students by failing to release pending fee reimbursements and scholarships.
He said the BJP had been forced to escalate its protest after being denied permission to hold a peaceful demonstration at Indira Park.
Kunde described Monday’s Assembly protest as only the beginning of the campaign and warned that the BJYM would intensify its mobilisation across Telangana.
He also accused the Congress government of curbing the constitutional right to protest and alleged that opposition leaders and workers were being subjected to preventive arrests several times a week.
Drawing a parallel with the previous BRS government, Kunde claimed that former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had also attempted to suppress public movements through the police and eventually lost power.
Kunde warned that if the Revanth Reddy government did not change its alleged “authoritarian” approach, BJP and BJYM workers would be mobilised across Telangana and could stage a protest at the Chief Minister’s residence under the direction of Ramchander Rao.
BJP MP Dr Laxman condemned the Congress government’s alleged handling of the protest, saying that detaining BJP leaders and workers and using force against demonstrators reflected an attempt to silence legitimate concerns raised by students.
He demanded the immediate release of all detainees and urged the state government to clear the pending fee reimbursement and scholarship dues without further delay.
Dr Laxman said the BJP would continue to stand with students and oppose what he described as the suppression of democratic rights.
