Hyderabad: The BRS Assembly protest triggered tense scenes on Monday after police stopped party legislators from entering the Telangana Legislative Assembly in slogan-bearing black T-shirts. Police later detained several MLAs and MLCs as arguments and scuffles broke out near the Assembly.
Police told the BRS legislators that they did not have permission to stage the protest. Former minister T. Harish Rao and several other legislators then removed their black T-shirts. They staged a sit-in at the spot wearing only their vests.
The confrontation intensified after a heated argument erupted between police and the protesting leaders. Consequently, police began taking Harish Rao and other BRS legislators into custody.
Harish Rao attempted to move towards the Public Gardens after removing his T-shirt. However, police stopped him and forcibly placed him inside an Innova vehicle.
MLAs Malla Reddy, Prashanth Reddy, Sanjay Rao and Kaushik Reddy were also detained during the BRS Assembly protest. Groups of policemen lifted and carried the legislators before shifting them into buses.
BRS Assembly protest sees KTR detained
The protest escalated further when police detained BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao. As officers tried to place him inside a vehicle, KTR resisted the attempt. He pressed his foot against the road while police moved him towards the vehicle.
Police eventually forced KTR into the vehicle. They also detained the other protesting BRS legislators and moved them from the Public Gardens to different police stations.
Meanwhile, the Assembly session commenced amid heightened tension. The situation around the legislature gradually returned to normal after police cleared the protesting legislators from the area.
Dramatic scenes also unfolded at the Assembly entrance. BRS MLA Sunitha Lakshma Reddy broke down in tears while speaking to the media. She alleged that police had behaved in an extremely inhuman manner towards her.
Former minister G. Jagadish Reddy was involved in a scuffle with police during the protest. He suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness, causing concern among those present. As tensions rose, police sirens echoed across the areas surrounding the Assembly.
Police explain BRS Assembly protest restrictions
Khairatabad Zone DCP Shilpavalli later explained why police had stopped the legislators at the Assembly gate. She said wearing black T-shirts was not a crime. However, she said some slogans and words printed on the shirts were considered objectionable.
Therefore, police denied the BRS leaders entry while they wore the slogan-bearing T-shirts. Shilpavalli said security measures had been taken according to directions issued by the Assembly Speaker.
The DCP also rejected allegations that police had behaved indecently towards the MLAs during the BRS Assembly protest. However, she said authorities would thoroughly examine video footage recorded at the Assembly following the allegations raised by BRS leaders.