Telangana BJP chief condemns police action at HYDRAA recruitment, alleges broken promises

Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao on Friday strongly condemned the police action against unemployed youth who had gathered at the Saroornagar Indoor Stadium for recruitment to posts in the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA).

In a statement, Mr. Rao alleged that disturbing scenes emerged from the recruitment venue, where police were seen using force to disperse young candidates. He described the use of force against job aspirants as "deeply painful and condemnable."

Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s slogan of "Mohabbat Ki Dukaan" (shop of love), the BJP leader remarked that the incident reflected a different reality in Telangana, where unemployed youth were allegedly subjected to police action while seeking job opportunities.

Mr. Rao accused the Congress of adopting double standards by expressing concern for youth issues at the national level while allegedly neglecting and suppressing young people in the State. He reminded that the Congress came to power in Telangana after promising a job calendar, large-scale recruitment drives, unemployment allowance, and special measures to support youth.

According to Mr. Rao, many of these commitments remain unfulfilled even after more than two years of Congress rule. He claimed that the promised monthly unemployment allowance of ₹4,000 has not been implemented, while the proposed Youth Commission and the assurance of ₹10 lakh interest-free financial assistance for youth have failed to materialise. He further alleged that employment generation and recruitment efforts have fallen short of expectations.

Stating that the Saroornagar incident was a result of broken promises and failed employment policies, Mr. Rao demanded that the State government explain why police force was used against unemployed youth who had gathered for the HYDRAA recruitment process.

The recruitment drive, which began earlier this week, is aimed at filling multiple positions in HYDRAA, a newly created agency tasked with disaster response and protection of government and public assets in the Hyderabad metropolitan region. Reports said thousands of candidates had turned up for the examinations, and the venue was packed since early morning.

Visuals shared on social media showed police personnel managing a large crowd outside the stadium, with some individuals being pushed and shoved. The authenticity and full context of these visuals could not be independently verified at the time of writing.

Police authorities have not yet issued an official statement. According to sources, the action may have been taken to control crowd surges and prevent a stampede. However, this has not been confirmed by the police or the district administration.

The State government has also not responded to Mr. Rao's allegations. Officials from the Chief Minister's Office were not reachable for comment.

This is the latest flashpoint between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP in Telangana, with both parties trading charges over governance and employment. The BJP has been critical of the Congress government's performance on job creation, while the government has maintained that it is working to fulfil its electoral promises.

This is a developing story. More details are awaited.