HYDERABAD: Former minister and Deputy Floor Leader Harish Rao on Monday held Chief Minister Revanth Reddy fully responsible for the condition of Gurukul schools after an Intermediate student was hospitalised following a snakebite in Mahabubabad district.
Snakebite incident sparks outrage
An Intermediate student, Ashmita, studying at the Inugurthi Gurukul in Mahabubabad, was bitten by a snake and is battling for her life in hospital. The incident, Harish Rao said, exposed the "shocking neglect" of Gurukul institutions under the present government.
'Administrative failure of CM and education minister'
Raising sharp questions, Harish Rao said Gurukuls had turned into "unsafe spaces" instead of centres of learning. As Chief Minister and Education Minister, he said, Revanth Reddy bore direct responsibility for the situation, calling it a clear case of administrative failure.
Husnabad farmer dies after severe crop loss
Integrated schools push, Gurukuls neglected
The former minister criticised the government for promoting Integrated Schools with a projected outlay of ₹20,000 crore while "abandoning" Gurukul schools. He alleged that campuses were overgrown with weeds, poorly lit at night, and unhygienic, leading to frequent incidents of snake and dog bites.
He said Gurukul students lacked both adequate food and basic safety. "While the Chief Minister travels abroad and poses for photographs at Harvard University, poor students here are struggling for survival in hospitals," he said.
Parents fear for children's safety
Harish Rao said parents were increasingly anxious, questioning whether they were sending their children to Gurukul schools for education or "to fight for their lives".
He demanded that the government immediately wake up from what he termed "inaction", take steps to protect Gurukul institutions, and safeguard students' futures. He also called for the best possible medical treatment to be provided to Ashmita without delay.