A political storm has erupted in Telangana following controversial remarks attributed to IAS officer Ms. Alagu Varsini (2012 batch), Secretary of the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society. During a recent interaction, she allegedly stated that students in government-run welfare schools, particularly those not from affluent backgrounds, should clean their own toilets, cook their meals, and sweep their rooms.
Her comments have sparked intense backlash, with the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) accusing her of promoting caste-based discrimination against students from marginalised communities.
NCSC Takes Cognisance, Issues Notice
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has taken serious note of the controversy and has issued formal notices to Telangana Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao (IAS, 1991 batch) and Director General of Police Dr. Jitender (IPS, 1992 batch). The commission has sought a comprehensive report on the incident within 15 days.
Officer Denies Intent, Claims Remarks Were Misrepresented
Ms. Varsini has defended her statement, asserting that her comments were selectively edited and misrepresented in the media. However, her clarification has done little to stem the political backlash, with several leaders demanding her immediate removal from the post.
BRS Accuses Congress Government of Neglect
BRS leader K. Kavitha condemned the officer’s statement, calling it deeply regressive and harmful to Dalit students. “These views threaten to relegate Dalit children to the very roles their ancestors struggled to escape,” she said.
Ms. Kavitha further accused the Congress-led state government of withdrawing grants that had previously funded sanitation staff in social welfare schools. Under the BRS government, she noted, each welfare school received ₹40,000 per month to employ four temporary sanitation workers—a policy that she claims was discontinued by the Congress from May 2025.
She also alleged that the government terminated assistant caretaker posts across 240 Gurukul schools, forcing students to assume additional responsibilities like kitchen management and basic maintenance. She described these developments as exploitative, arguing that they violate child rights and undermine the core mission of social welfare institutions.
Call for Accountability
Sharing an audio recording of the officer’s remarks on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Ms. Kavitha demanded immediate action from the state government. She called for Ms. Varsini’s removal, the restoration of funding for sanitation services, and an apology from the administration.
Criticising Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, she labelled the Congress’s stance as “anti-poor” and “anti-Dalit,” accusing the party of systemic neglect toward underprivileged communities.
Rising Public Pressure
As the controversy deepens, pressure is mounting on the Telangana government to clarify its position, investigate the incident thoroughly, and take steps to ensure student welfare in its residential education system. The case has highlighted growing tensions around education, equity, and institutional responsibility in the state’s social infrastructure.
