Archive · 28 Aug 2026
Harish Rao Arrested While Backing Polytechnic Students’ Protest
T. Harish Rao was arrested while going to meet polytechnic students who were protesting in Warangal.
The students oppose a plan to merge their government colleges with a Skill University.
Harish Rao said the plan could make education more expensive.
He worried that poor students might be affected most.
He also said diploma students could lose an important path into the second year of engineering.
Rao asked the government to cancel GO 97.
He questioned why students were being arrested or charged for protesting.
He also alleged that college gates were locked and a mess service was stopped before his visit.
He warned that young people would strongly resist if the order was not withdrawn.
Former minister T. Harish Rao was arrested while traveling to support protesting polytechnic students in Warangal.
He demanded that government polytechnic colleges not be merged with the Skill University and that GO 97 be withdrawn.
Harish Rao warned the merger could lead to privatisation, higher fees and reduced access for poor students.
He said the policy could affect diploma students’ direct admission opportunities into the second year of engineering courses.
Harish Rao accused authorities of restricting students and called for action over alleged incidents involving students in Mahbubabad and Suryapet.
- Who
- Former minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi Legislature Party deputy leader T. Harish Rao, polytechnic students, and Telangana authorities.
- What
- Harish Rao was arrested while traveling to support student protests and demanded withdrawal of GO 97 and an end to the proposed college merger.
- When
- Thursday.
- Where
- Warangal, with Harish Rao speaking outside Subedari police station; he also referred to Mahbubabad and Suryapet.
- Why
- He said the merger could lead to privatisation, higher fees and reduced educational opportunities for diploma students.
- Arrested person
- T. Harish Rao, a former minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi Legislature Party deputy leader
- Protest location
- Warangal
- Policy under dispute
- Merger of government polytechnic colleges with the Skill University
- Government order
- GO 97
- Main concern
- Possible privatisation and higher fees for technical education
- Students’ opportunity cited
- Direct admission into the second year of engineering courses under AICTE norms
- Police station mentioned
- Subedari police station