Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s “criminal waste” remark for engineering students sparked widespread criticism from Opposition leaders who accused him of insulting students.
The CM was speaking at a teacher international exposure visit programme in Hyderabad on Thursday, July 30, where he addressed teachers who studied education policies in Finland and Germany.
During a discussion on job readiness and employability of engineering students, the CM said that nearly 1.1 lakh engineering students graduate every year, but some can’t even fill out a job application.
“You (teachers) give plain paper to them (engineering graduates) and tell them to write a job application. Criminal waste. He won’t apply for a small job because he studied engineering. He does not learn skills,” Reddy said.
He later clarified that he was not blaming the students but the education system, which failed to prepare them.
KTR calls Revanth ‘cheap minister’
Reddy’s remark, however, did not sit well with Opposition leaders. Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao called the CM a “cheap minister” and asked what his qualifications were for saying such things.
“Did he ever write any competitive exam in his entire life? Did he ever appear for an interview for a job? Did he ever work anywhere in a professional environment? For those who don’t know, he was a real estate broker-turned-blackmailer who hustled his way to buying the CM post in the bankrupt Congress party.”
Former minister Harish Rao called the incident “extremely unfortunate” and demanded that CM Revanth immediately retract his words and issue an apology.
BJP questions Gen Z activists over their silence
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Telangana spokesperson NV Subhash targeted “self-proclaimed Gen Z activists” for remaining silent on the issue, saying it exposes their “political hypocrisy.”
“Where are the self-proclaimed Gen Z activists and the usual outrage brigade today? Will they protest against Revanth Reddy’s remarks, or is their activism reserved only for targeting the BJP? Their selective silence exposes their political hypocrisy,” he stated in a post on X.
“Telangana’s youth do not deserve insults from a government that promised jobs, timely fee reimbursement and opportunities but has failed to deliver on its commitments. Instead of introspecting over its failures, the Congress leadership has chosen to demean an entire generation.” he added.
Telangana BJP’s X account accused CM Revanth of “chasing headlines” with promises of Gen Z ministers and said the statement revealed Congress’ “true mindset”.
“The same Revanth Reddy who chased headlines with promises of “Gen Z Ministers” and lowering the age for MLAs and MPs to 21 now reveals Congress’s real mindset. Those promises weren’t about empowering youth they were political optics meant to grab attention. Telangana’s youth deserve respect, opportunities, fees reimbursement and jobs not ridicule.” the post read.
Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy accused both Congress and BRS of having an “anti-youth mindset” and said that even though the governments have changed, the “tendency to mock and undermine the aspirations of Telangana’s students” remains the same.
Congress MP defends Revanth Reddy
Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy on Friday defended CM Revanth’s remarks, saying his intention was not to target students but to highlight that teaching standards are not up to the mark in Telangana.
He also hit out at KTR for his “cheap minister” remark, saying, “President of the US, Abraham Lincoln, and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Winston Churchill, did not have formal higher education, but they had the brain. KTR, however, does not have that brain.”
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