Hyderabad: BRS deputy floor leader Harish Rao accused the Congress government of stopping BRS public representatives from attending the Assembly and preventing debate on public issues.
He questioned whether the government feared discussions on its 1,000-day record, Section 22A lands and alleged land scams. The BRS leader also asked whether arrests aimed to stop debates on problems faced by polytechnic students and farmers.
He alleged that police pulled the sarees of women legislators and pressed their throats during the incident outside the Assembly. The former minister demanded action against those responsible.
Instead, he alleged, authorities filed cases against BRS leaders and legislators. He criticised what he described as continued illegal arrests during the Congress government’s 1,000-day rule.
Harish Rao raises allegations over women legislators
The BRS deputy floor leader alleged that former Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy faced an attack outside the Assembly. He claimed male police personnel assaulted her during the incident.
According to him, police also pulled MLA Sunitha Lakshma Reddy’s saree. He said the BRS approached the Hyderabad Commissioner over the alleged conduct.
However, the complaint brought no action, he alleged. Authorities instead registered cases against Sabita Indra Reddy, Sunitha Lakshma Reddy and Kova Lakshmi, he said.
The BRS leader described the incident involving women MLAs as an attack on women across Telangana. He criticised the Congress government and targeted Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
He also criticised Minister Sridhar Babu. The BRS expected him to apologise to the women members after the alleged incident, he said.
Instead, police arrested BRS MLCs and sent them to jail. He added that the Congress held power and could act as it wished.
Defence of Tatha Madhu over Speaker remarks
Harish Rao said the BRS held Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar in the highest regard. He recalled that BRS members had worked with the Speaker in the same House.
According to him, BRS MLC Tatha Madhu had already clarified his position publicly. Madhu had said he did not direct his remarks at the Speaker, he said.
The BRS leader said Madhu had offered to withdraw his words if the Speaker understood them as referring to him. He added that Madhu had expressed regret if the remarks had hurt the Speaker.
Party members also regretted any hurt caused to the Speaker, he said. The BRS respected both the Speaker and the Assembly, he maintained.
Harish Rao questioned the Congress government’s commitment to Dalits. He asked why the government had allegedly insulted the 125-foot Ambedkar statue.
He further questioned whether the government had even placed a garland on the statue. The remarks came as the BRS continued to protest the police action linked to the Assembly incidents.
BRS seeks action over alleged police conduct
The former minister demanded action over what he described as the humiliation of BRS women members. He questioned why authorities had not acted over the alleged treatment of the legislators.
Harish Rao directly blamed Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for the alleged police action. He said the government directed the arrests and attacks against BRS representatives.
He also questioned the arrests of BRS public representatives. The government had used police action to stop Opposition members from raising public issues in the Assembly, he alleged.