Inter results fiasco: Telangana BJP chief's indefinite fast enters fourth day

Stepping up its protest over the alleged goof-up in the Intermediate examination results in Telangana, the BJP organised a State-wide bandh Thursday, as the indefinite fast launched by the party's unit president K Laxman entered the fourth day. Police said the bandh passed off peacefully. According to officials, normal life was not affected and buses and other vehicles plied as usual. BJP leaders and workers held protests at various places as part of the bandh.

State BJP chief Laxman, who was shifted by police to a state-run hospital hours after launching an indefinite fast on April 29, continued his fast in hospital for the fourth day. BJP activists gathered outside bus stations of state-run Road Transport Corporation (RTC) and other places and raised slogans against the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi. However, the bandh had no impact on the services, RTC sources said. BJP affiliated students wing ABVP and youth wing BJYM leaders participated in the protests, BJP sources said.

BJP MP Bandaru Dattatreya, party general secretary Muralidhar Rao and other leaders staged a dharna outside the state secretariat and they were removed from the place by police, Dattatreya said in a release. A senior police official told PTI that the bandh was peaceful. Police took several protesters into preventive custody across the state, the official added. Congress leader and former MP V Hanumantha Rao and other leaders called on Laxman at the hospital Thursday.

The demands of the BJP include sacking education minister G Jagadeesh Reddy, suspension of Board of Intermediate Education secretary, judicial inquiry into the episode and paying compensation to families of students who allegedly committed suicide, upset with the result. Meanwhile, Youth Congress leaders have started a 48-hour fast in protest against the alleged lapses in the Intermediate exam results. About 9.74 lakh students had appeared for the Intermediate exam in March this year and 3.28 lakh of them have failed, according to official sources. The BJP has claimed that 25 students committed suicide since the declaration of results on April 18.

The alleged bungling in the announcement of results led to widespread protests by students, their parents, student organisations and political parties. Some students and their parents claimed that they secured poor marks despite being merit students. A three-member committee, appointed by the state government to look into the issue, has pointed out certain shortcomings in conducting the exam and suggested remedial measures.