Union Minister Detained In Hyderabad Amid Group 1 Aspirants Protests Seeking Exam Postponement

Telangana: Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who staged a protest with Group 1 services aspirants at Ashok Nagar X roads in Chikkadpalli, was detained in Hyderabad.

On Friday, police canned Group 1 services aspirants who held protests seeking postponement of the Mains exam to be held from October 21 to 27. The aspirants protested at Ashok Nagar, the hub of coaching institutions for civil services and other competitive exams in the city.

The protesters were dispersed and 30 of them were taken into preventive custody, police said.

The protesting aspirants expressed concerns over the schedule of the exam and the impact of certain Government Orders (GOs) on the recruitment process and reservation.

Meanwhile, the opposition BJP and BRS hit out at the Congress government for the "lathicharge" and police action against the protesters.

Alleging that even the women protesters were also not spared, the BRS asked if this is the respect given to women in the 'Indiramma Rajyam' (the welfare rule of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi).

BJP leader and Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar said he would go to Ashok Nagar.

"Moved by the lathi charge against Group1 job aspirants, I will be going to Ashok Nagar to meet them as a BJP Karyakartha," he said in a post on X.

Seeking to reschedule the Group 1 exam, a group of candidates met president of the ruling Congress in Telangana, B Mahesh Kumar Goud, on Thursday, while some called on BRS working president K T Rama Rao.

Telangana Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari on Thursday said all arrangements have been made for the exam.

Several aspirants protested at a park at Gandhi Nagar on Thursday as well demanding postponement of the exams. The protesters held placards that read 'reschedule Group-1 exams - save Group 1 aspirants'.