Revanth Reddy to lead candlelight rally in Hyderabad over NEET paper leak

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will lead a candlelight rally of ruling Congress leaders in Hyderabad on Saturday evening to protest the alleged attacks on students demonstrating in Delhi and the Centre's handling of the NEET paper leak issue.

The rally will be held from People's Plaza to the Indira Gandhi statue on Necklace Road, with Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president B Mahesh Kumar Goud, state ministers, MLAs and other party leaders expected to participate.

The rally comes amid protests across Telangana over alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET examination. Several educational institutions remained closed on Friday following a bandh call by Left-affiliated student unions.

The Students' Federation of India, All India Students' Federation, Progressive Democratic Students Union and other Left-backed organisations participated in the bandh. Protesters in Narayanaguda also took out a rally towards Himayatnagar, demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.

The protesters also sought Rs 1 crore in ex gratia for families of students who died by suicide following the alleged paper leak and stringent punishment for those found guilty in the NEET case.

The BRS also staged protests demanding Pradhan's resignation.