Bahujan Samaj Party Telangana president RS Praveen Kumar on Monday, February 12, participated in a protest near Damodaram Sanjivaiah Welfare Bhawan organised by BSP against the suicide of Gurukul students.
He blamed chief minister Revanth Reddy for the series of suicides occurring in government welfare gurukuls and hostels,, and criticizing the government’s negligence in addressing the issue. He questioned why the chief minister remained silent in the face of these repeated tragedies.
RS Praveen Kumar emphasised the urgent need for psychological support for students, advocating for the appointment of one psychologist for every 100 students in government schools. He criticised the disparity where such support was only available in international schools catering to the upper class, neglecting those from financially backward families.
He lamented the lack of quality education, food, and accommodation for students, condemning both the current and previous governments for failing to address these issues effectively. He said it was a shame that grieving parents were left to protest on the streets without a response from the government.
The demands put forward included ensuring the safety of underprivileged children studying in welfare gurukuls, offering financial compensation of Rs 1 crore and a government job to families of students who died by suicide, and conducting a thorough investigation into the series of suicides, particularly among female students.
The National Convener of MVF echoed these sentiments, labeling student suicides as “government murders” and expressing concern that Telangana’s education standards were plummeting due to governmental neglect.
