BRS slams Congress govt over suspensions, mining row

BRS leader Talasani Srinivas Yadav criticised the Congress government, calling the Assembly proceedings a dark day for democracy. He alleged suppression of Opposition voices, diversion from the mining controversy, and demanded an all-party House Committee probe into the issue

Hyderabad: BRS deputy floor leader Talasani Srinivas Yadav tore into the Congress government, terming the Assembly proceedings on Sunday a dark day for democracy. He accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of using suspensions to muzzle Opposition voices and diverting the subject to bury the mining controversy.

Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, Srinivas Yadav alleged that party MLAs were deliberately thrown out to block objections during the passage of the Appropriation Bill. He said the ruling party failed to respond to their questions on its failure to deliver electoral promises. “We were raising people’s issues. Instead of replying, they silenced us,” he said.

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The BRS leader accused the government of dodging questions on alleged illegal mining linked to a firm belonging to Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy. He said evidence was placed in the House, but the government refused to order a House Committee probe. “They prefer a CB-CID inquiry that can be influenced, but not an all-party House Committee. That is why they are evading it,” he charged.

Srinivas Yadav also accused the ruling party of diversionary tactics, including dragging the Speaker’s caste into the debate. “We respect the Chair and Gaddam Prasad Kumar, who is a senior politician. Our protests have nothing to do with his caste or him personally. This is a distraction to shield the scam,” he said.

Flagging a procedural breakdown, the former Minister said BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy was accused of making derogatory remarks against senior member Kadiyam Srihari and was referred to an Ethics Committee that does not even exist, as no statutory committees have been constituted since the Congress came to power. “If anyone deserves scrutiny, it is the Chief Minister for his abusive remarks in the House,” he said.

He alleged that defected MLAs were being used to attack the Opposition while legislative business was pushed through amid protests. “The Assembly has been reduced to a Congress party office,” he said.

Pointing to contradictions, Srinivas Yadav said the government sought a House Committee to probe past land deals during the BRS regime, but rejected the same mechanism in the mining case, claiming that the House Committee had no sanctity. He reiterated the demand for an all-party House Committee probe, warning that the BRS would intensify its agitation until accountability is fixed.