BRS leaders protesting against Jagadish Reddy’s suspension detained
KT Rama Rao calls for State-wide protests condemning the suppression of the Opposition's voice both inside and outside the Assembly
Hyderabad: Condemning the suspension of senior BRS MLA and former minister G Jagadish Reddy from the Telangana Assembly, BRS legislators led by party working president KT Rama Rao staged a flash protest near the Dr BR Ambedkar statue at Necklace Road on Thursday afternoon. Raising slogans against Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and the Congress government, the BRS MLAs and MLCs called the move a blatant attack on democracy.
With a large number of BRS leaders and activists arriving at the Ambedkar statue to join the protest, the police rushed to the spot and detained the protesting legislators. Following this, Rama Rao has called for State-wide protests on Thursday, condemning the suppression of the Opposition’s voice. The legislators were later shifted to the Telangana Bhavan.
Earlier, the BRS legislators strongly objected to the suspension of Jagadish Reddy without giving him an opportunity to explain his remarks, even after the BRS MLAs informed the Speaker that he was ready to apologise even though he did not speak anything derogatory or disrespectful to the Chair.
Speaking on the occasion, Rama Rao termed the suspension undemocratic, marking a “black day” in Telangana’s legislative history.
“Jagadish Reddy was highlighting farm distress and the Congress government’s 420 unfulfilled promises. But citing technicalities, he was wrongfully suspended without even being given a chance to explain,” he said.
Slamming the government for suppressing opposition voices both inside and outside the Assembly, he said the government was filing cases, whenever they question outside the Assembly and throwing them out for speaking inside. “We condemn this lopsided act and demand answers from the government. This autocratic rule will be challenged on the streets,” he declared.
The BRS working president said Rahul Gandhi was giving lectures on the Constitution and its values, but his party in Telangana was refusing to follow them. Jagadish Reddy was suspended unilaterally for the entire session, despite not uttering a single word which is derogatory or disrespectful, he said.
Rama Rao also countered Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu for referring to the book authored by Kaul and Shakdher on the parliamentary procedures, stating that there was no specific rule in the Constitution or Kaul and Shakdher’s book that bans the word “You”. He stated that Jagadish Reddy was suspended solely for questioning the Congress on its unfulfilled promises.
Former Ministers and senior MLAs T Harish Rao and G Jagadish Reddy also slammed the Congress government for trying to bulldoze its way in the Assembly. Harish Rao stated that the suspension of Jagadish Reddy was a pre-planned move to silence dissent. He said the Congress was strangling democracy in broad daylight, to suppress the opposition voices.
Taking a swipe at the Congress, he said the party had historically insulted leaders like Ambedkar, Jagjivan Ram, and President Droupadi Murmu.
“They use Dalits for votes, while blocking real empowerment,” he added, citing BRS initiatives like Dalit Bandhu and construction of the 125 feet statue for Dr Ambedkar, besides naming the State Secretariat after him.
Jagadish Reddy pointed out that BRS MLAs including senior leaders had approached the Speaker and Sridhar Babu, seeking an explanation of what rule was violated.
“We even offered an apology to ensure the Assembly functions smoothly, yet our plea was ignored,” he added.
