Former CM Chenna Reddy had admitted that 1990 riots were engineered by Congress leaders

In short, history proves that the Congress can stoop to any low to influence voters and usurp power with incidents from the past reflecting the party’s brand of dirty politics.

Hyderabad: The Congress has a notorious history of inciting violence, including communal riots, in the State. In short, history proves that the Congress can stoop to any low to influence voters and usurp power with incidents from the past reflecting the party’s brand of dirty politics.

For those who doubt this, take a flashback to 1990. The 1990 riots, considered the worst communal riots in Hyderabad’s history, broke out in September 1990 and continued in 1991 as well. People were killed, establishments were ransacked and law and order was out of control. The Congress was in power. As per reports in the media, not a single rioter was caught. All the clashes and disturbances were orchestrated by vested interests and to derive political significance. And now comes the shocker.

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Forget the Opposition. The then Chief Minister M Chenna Reddy, who was facing stiff opposition from within the party over the riots, himself went on record stating that the riots were engineered by his rivals in the Congress. All this was done to oust him from power and dethrone his government.

On December 12, 1990, after making up his mind to resign as the Chief Minister, Chenna Reddy had invited a few Ministers, MLAs and senior party leaders to his residence at Tarnaka.

A leading vernacular newspaper quoted Chenna Reddy saying: “I have spoken to Rajiv Gandhi last night and informed him that a couple of MLAs within the party was involved in the communal riots.” He also appealed to the Ministers and MLAs, who were preparing to quit the party, not to take any decisions in haste.

Again during K Rosaiah’s tenure, there were communal riots in Hyderabad. After the Old City, the miscreants targeted Bholakpur, Ranigunj, Paradise and neighbouring areas. Some senior Congress leaders from Telangana alleged that the riots were the handiwork of a section of their party colleagues to destabilise Rosaiah’s government, news report say.

Going by the notorious history of the party, it is evident that Congress can stoop to any low to come to power. The attack on Medak MP and BRS Dubbak MLA candidate Kotha Prabhakar Reddy at Surampally on Monday only reflects the Congress party’s brand of violent politics. Even as several leaders cut across party lines to condemn the attack, the Congress was indulging in a blame-game and trying to hold the BRS responsible for the attack on its own MP.

Dubbak Congress candidate C Sudhakar Reddy went on to allege that the accused was in an inebriated condition and that the Congress was not connected to him. Demanding a CBI enquiry, he said the accused, Ghatani Raju, was no longer with the Congress.