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The monsoon session of the Telangana Assembly began with a serious confrontation between Congress and the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). BRS MLAs wearing black clothes with anti-Congress slogans were prevented from entering the Assembly.
Amid the scuffle with security personnel, BRS alleged that security personnel manhandled women legislators of the party. A video showed one of the security staff appearing to pull BRS MLA Sabitha Indra Reddy by her hair. Another woman MLA from BRS, Sunitha Lakshma Reddy, alleged that the police personnel pulled her saree.
“As a woman who has been an MLA for decades, I have never seen such a situation. They pulled us by our throat, hair, and saree. Who gave the orders to do this? If the police behaved this way without the Chief Minister’s orders, actions must be taken against those responsible. Or else, the police acted on the CM’s orders, or to please the CM,” said Sabitha Indra Reddy, demanding an apology from Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
BRS MLAs began the day protesting against the Congress government’s alleged failure to fulfill its manifesto promises. Some of the MLAs turned up wearing black T-shirts that said, “Congress failed to fulfil its promises. Its 1000-day rule has failed,” including BRS working president KT Rama Rao, T Harish Rao and others.
Harish Rao removed his T-shirt, insisting that he be allowed into the Assembly. Police still went on to detain him, along with KTR.
KT Rama Rao later took to X questioning the Gandhis. “This is the famed Indiramma Rajyam where even female MLAs are not safe! When Duryodhana, Dushashanas become Chief Ministers and Ministers, it is only natural that the Congress police try and strip women MLAs These are some of the strongest women, fiercest fighters I know and they are in tears because of how Congress police pulled their sarees, dragged them by their hair and assaulted them. Absolutely deplorable behavior and no human should be put through this humiliation,” he said.
Congress on the other hand alleged that the Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, who is from a Scheduled Caste, had been insulted by the BRS citing MLA Tata Madhu’s words.
Tata Madhu confronted the police personnel when one of them allegedly pulled him by his pants. “Did the Speaker tell you to pull at people’s pants? Which son of a wh*** gave you the power to do so?”
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy condemned Tata Madhu’s remarks in the Assembly, saying they were unpardonable. “This is an insult not just to Dalits but to all of us,” he said. He demanded that former CM and BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao apologise on behalf of Tata Madhu, and get him to resign from the Legislative Council.
Meanwhile, four BRS MLAs, Kova Laxmi, Vijayudu, Manik Rao and Anil Jadhav, have filed a complaint with the Telangana State SC and ST Commission, seeking an inquiry into the alleged harassment they faced outside the Assembly.
The Congress meanwhile retaliated terming the behaviour of BRS MLAs goonish. "BRS crossed every limit today. MLC Tata Madhu slurs a Dalit Speaker. Harish Rao strips his T-shirt in front of women officers. Leaders caught shoving police at Assembly gates. This isn’t protest. This is hooliganism,” the party’s handle tweeted.
