Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President N. Ramchander Rao on Sunday, 26 July issued a sharp ultimatum to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy: clear ₹12,000 crore in pending fee reimbursement dues within a week or step down as the state's Education Minister. Rao alleged that the Congress-led government's failure to release the funds has put the futures of nearly 20 lakh students at risk, with many unable to pursue higher education or secure employment because their certificates have been withheld.

The Ultimatum and Its Context

Addressing reporters in Hyderabad, Ramchander Rao drew a pointed comparison to the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union Education Minister following the NEET paper leak controversy. 'We have proved our sincerity, you should prove yours,' he said, challenging Revanth Reddy to match that accountability standard. The BJP chief argued that if the Chief Minister cannot resolve the fee reimbursement crisis, he should hand over the Education portfolio to someone who can.

In a post on social media platform X, Ramchander Rao stated: 'I am appalled by the radio silence of the so-called custodians of youth over the pending fee reimbursement crisis in Congress-ruled Telangana, where nearly 20 lakh students are unable to pursue higher education or employment because their certificates have been withheld.'

BJP's Broader Criticism of the Rally

Rao also criticised Revanth Reddy for leading a rally in Hyderabad against alleged police action on protesting students and youth in New Delhi, calling it a distraction from the unresolved fee dues crisis at home. The BJP argued that the Chief Minister's public posturing on student welfare rings hollow given the scale of the pending reimbursements in his own state.

BJP MP D.K. Aruna's Allegations

BJP MP D.K. Aruna levelled a separate set of allegations, claiming that an individual associated with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had attempted to incite youth in a bid to destabilise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. She alleged that anti-national elements planned to trigger riots by channelling funds from abroad, and claimed that the Delhi protest drew more participants from outside areas than actual students — though she did not provide evidence for these claims.

Aruna also defended the Centre's handling of the NEET paper leak, stating that the examination was cancelled and a re-examination conducted within a short period. She alleged that Congress instigated youth to 'ridicule the nation's reputation' and that Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi prefers street protests over parliamentary debate.

Paper Leak Accountability: A Counter-Question

Aruna further alleged that the Group-1 exam paper was leaked during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government in Telangana, questioning why no one resigned then. She also pointed to an alleged Class 10 exam paper leak under the current Congress government, asking: 'Has anybody resigned?' The remarks signal that the BJP intends to widen its accountability offensive beyond the fee reimbursement issue to encompass examination integrity across successive state administrations.

With the BJP pressing for a one-week deadline on the ₹12,000 crore dues, the political pressure on the Revanth Reddy government is set to intensify in the days ahead.