BRS legislators arrested after flash protest at Telangana Assembly entrance

Controversy began when BRS legislators arrived wearing t-shirts emblazoned with slogan 'Revanth-Adani Bhai Bhai'

Hyderabad: Tensions ran high at the Telangana Assembly on Monday morning as BRS legislators, led by working president KT Rama Rao, staged a flash protest at the Assembly’s main entrance. The protest erupted minutes before the session commenced, resulting in the arrest of opposition MLAs and MLCs, including Council Opposition leader S Madhusudhana Chari, T Harish Rao, K Kavitha and others. The leaders were shifted to a nearby police station.

The controversy began when BRS legislators arrived wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan ‘Revanth-Adani Bhai Bhai’ and images of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy alongside industrialist Gautam Adani. The tshirts, a clear jab at the Chief Minister’s alleged nexus with corporate entities, drew immediate resistance from the police, who prevented the legislators from entering the premises unless they removed the tshirts.

A heated argument ensued, with BRS legislators asserting their right to wear clothes of their choice and challenging the police’s authority to dictate their attire. BRS leaders including KT Rama Rao questioned the police how the BRS protesting against Adani was wrong and pointed out that Congress Lok Sabha leader Rahul Gandhi was also protesting against Adani.

As tensions escalated, the opposition MLAs and MLCs raised slogans such as “Adani-Revanth Bhai Bhai,” “Telangana Thalli muddura, Congress Thalli vaddura,” and “Nahi chalega—Thanashahi nahi chalega.” With the BRS legislators refusing to relent, the police arrested them and shifted to the police station.

Before arriving at the Assembly, the BRS legislators visited the Telangana Martyrs’ Memorial to pay homage to those who sacrificed their lives for Telangana statehood. Speaking to the media, Rama Rao vowed to raise public issues in the Assembly and Council, to hold the government accountable for unfulfilled electoral promises.

“We condemn the attack on Telangana’s identity by redesigning the Telangana Thalli statue to impose Congress Thalli on the people. Such moves will not be tolerated,” he asserted.