BRS protests demolition of pedestal for former MLA Sudharshan Reddy’s statue in Narsampet

Tension prevailed in Narsampet after municipal officials demolished a pedestal built for former MLA Peddi Sudharshan Reddy’s statue, citing lack of permission. BRS leaders and cadres staged a protest and rasta-roko, leading to a scuffle with police.

Warangal: Tension prevailed at Narsampet town in the district as a large number of BRS cadres staged a flash protest following demolition of a pedestal built to install a statue of former MLA Peddi Sudharshan Reddy, who died recently.

It was said that the party cadres in Narsampet Assembly constituency have planned to install the statue in a private land located opposite to Government Medical College at Sarvapuram on the outskirts of the town.

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However, the municipal officials engaged earth movers and workers to raze the pedestal to the ground during late night hours on Sunday stating that no permission was obtained to install Sudharshan Reddy statue. Their action has drawn severe criticism from the locals as well as the BRS cadres.

Former Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao, MLC Takkallapalli Ravinder Rao and former MP Boinapally Vinod Kumar and senior BRS leaders strongly condemned the demolition of the pedestal at the behest of the ruling party leaders.

The leaders along with a large number of cadres staged a rasta-roko on a main road in the town on Monday. Police tried to take the leaders into custody during which a scuffle ensued between BRS activists and the police leading to tension on the town.

Speaking to the media the former ZP chairman Akula Srinivas informed that the party cadres have performed ‘Bhumi Pooja’ a few days ago and built the pedestal to install Sudharshan Reddy’s statue on private land belonging to Jangama Rama Rao of Narsampet.

He alleged that officials demolished the pedestal just as preparations were being made to unveil the statue during the 11th-day memorial ceremony in honour of the ex-MLA, who played a key role in getting the Government Medical College sanctioned at Narsampet.

There were no legal impediments to the statue’s installation and it was distressing that officials destroyed the structure instead of cooperating while the late leader’s services were being commemorated, the BRS leaders lamented.