Congress, BRS Clash Outside KCR’s Erravelli Farmhouse Over Remarks Against Speaker

The political confrontation between the ruling Congress and the BRS intensified on Tuesday as Congress workers staged a protest outside the Erravelli residence of BRS chief and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, demanding action over alleged remarks made by BRS MLCs Thatikonda Madhusudhan and Naveen Reddy against Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar.

Carrying placards and raising slogans against BRS leaders, Congress workers sought action over the alleged comments against the Speaker. The protesters, accompanied by leaders of Dalit organisations, accused the BRS leaders of insulting a Dalit leader and said the remarks amounted to an affront to the wider Dalit community.

The BRS, meanwhile, alleged that police personnel were facilitating the Congress protest while preventing its leaders and cadres from reaching KCR’s residence. BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) accused the police of allowing Congress workers to proceed towards the farmhouse while stopping BRS leaders from entering the area.

Police deployed a heavy security force around KCR’s farmhouse in Erravelli ahead of the Congress and Dalit organisations’ rally. Protesters were stopped before they could reach the residence. They continued their agitation by beating drums and raising slogans, with one protest leader declaring that they would not leave until KCR apologised to the Dalit community in Telangana over the alleged remarks.

At the same time, BRS leaders travelling towards KCR’s residence were stopped by police at Hakimpet. After their vehicles were prevented from moving ahead, KTR, senior BRS leader Harish Rao and other MLAs began walking towards Erravelli.

The situation escalated at Bollaram Crossroads, where a large police contingent stopped the BRS legislators from proceeding further. KTR was subsequently taken into custody by the police.

KTR launched a strong attack on Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who also holds the Home portfolio, alleging that the government and police were attempting to target KCR. He accused the authorities of preventing BRS leaders from reaching their leader and alleged that the move was part of an attempt to attack KCR through Congress supporters. KTR demanded that Revanth Reddy take responsibility for the developments.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders staged another protest at Gandhi Bhavan over Thatikonda Madhusudhan’s alleged remarks against Speaker Prasad Kumar.

Telangana Congress in-charge and AICC secretary Sachin Sawant alleged that the BRS, BJP and RSS shared a similar “Manuvadi” ideological outlook. He said Congress strongly opposed such thinking, asserting that it was contrary to the ideals of BR Ambedkar.