YSR Telangana Party president YS Sharmila on Sunday, February 19 launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, equating him with the Taliban. "Telangana is Afghanistan of India and KCR is its Taliban," Sharmila told reporters in Hyderabad, hours after she was arrested by the police in Mahabubabad and her padayatra was stopped. Sharmila, who was brought to Hyderabad by police after being detained at Mahabubabad on allegations of making inappropriate remarks against Mahabubabad MLA of the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Banoth Shankar Naik, also termed KCR a ‘dictator’ and a ‘tyrant’. "There is no Indian constitution in Telangana. There is only the KCR Constitution," she alleged.
Stating that KCR does not understand democratic language, she said the YSRTP might have to approach the court again for fresh permission for her padyatra. After a break of more than two months, Sharmila had resumed her ‘Praja Prasthanam’ padayatra early this month. She resumed the padayatra in Warangal district from the place where it was stopped in November last year. BRS workers had allegedly set afire her bus and pelted stones on other vehicles in Warangal district on November 28. Later, police detained Sharmila and temporarily cancelled the permission for Sharmila’s padayatra, saying they wanted to prevent any untoward incident.
Addressing the media on Sunday, Sharmila said it was BRS MLA Shankar Naik who had made objectionable comments against her and instead of taking action against him, the police had detained her. She alleged that BRS leaders were using abusive words and resorting to physical attacks on YSRTP cadres and disrupting her padyatra.
"I made an allegation that the MLA is grabbing thousands of acres. Unable to bear the questioning by a woman, he used objectionable language," she said.
Earlier on Saturday, speaking at a public rally in Mahabubabad constituency, Sharmila criticised Shankar Naik for calling her an ‘outsider’ and speaking to her in a derogatory manner. “This shameless MLA has the nerve to use the most derogatory and filthy language against us for questioning his misdeeds and his failure to ensure good governance to the people of this constituency,” Sharmila had said. Sharmila had called Shankar Naik a corrupt leader for allegedly not fulfilling any of the promises he made before the 2018 Assembly elections, and for his alleged involvement in land grabbing activities.
“I warn all of you not to call anyone settlers or migrants. Your wife is from Nellore and I dare you to separate from her to prove your love for Telangana,” Sharmila had said while addressing Shankar Naik. Sharmila had also accused the MLA of misbehaving with a female government officer, and grabbing the lands of tribal people.
Sharmila, sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, was detained by the police from her night halt camp in Mahabubabad town and shifted to Hyderabad, with the stated intention of preventing any law and order problems. A case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 504A (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and Section 3(1)(r) of Scheduled Castes Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act ((r) intentionally insults or intimidates with intent to humiliate a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe in any place within public view) was registered against Sharmila at Mahabubabad town police station on a complaint by a local BRS leader.
Meanwhile, BRS workers staged a protest in Mahabubabad against Sharmila. They burnt the posters of BRS and raised slogans of 'Sharmila, go back'.