Harish Rao Arrested in Warangal En Route to Polytechnic Students' Protest

Former minister and BRS Legislature Party deputy leader T. Harish Rao was arrested in Warangal on Thursday while on his way to extend support to protesting polytechnic students.

Harish Rao had been travelling to meet the students who are demanding the withdrawal of GO 97 and seeking a halt to the merger of government polytechnic colleges with the Skill University. The opposition leader alleged that the state government was jeopardising the future of students through the policy.

Speaking to reporters outside the Subedari police station following his detention, Harish Rao questioned the police action taken against students who were demonstrating for their academic interests. He asked why cases were being filed and arrests made against students, and questioned the basis of his own detention while attempting to hear the grievances of the polytechnic students in Warangal.

Harish Rao alleged that merging government polytechnic colleges with the Skill University, which is established under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, could eventually lead to privatisation and higher tuition fees. He said the policy would disproportionately impact students from underprivileged backgrounds who rely on affordable technical education.

He further claimed that the decision could disrupt opportunities for diploma holders seeking direct admission into the second year of engineering degree programmes under AICTE norms. Pointing to other regions, Harish Rao stated that similar decisions had been withdrawn in Andhra Pradesh and had failed in Delhi, urging Telangana to learn from those examples and revoke GO 97.

Harish Rao also alleged that authorities locked the college gates and stopped mess facilities once his visit was planned, preventing students from leaving the campus. Referring to related incidents involving students in Mahbubabad and Suryapet, he called on the Director General of Police to take action against those responsible and warned that failure to withdraw the order would trigger widespread opposition from youth.