KTR calls on DGP seeking action against Congress excesses

Accompanied by senior leaders of the BRS, KTR called on the DGP Jitender and lodged a complaint with him seeking action on Congress-sponsored attacks targeting two women journalists in Kondareddypalli

Hyderabad: Taking a serious note of the excesses of the ruling Congress party in the State and the continued support of the police to their offences, BRS working president K T Rama Rao on Friday hinted at a potential resistance from his party unless the police acted in earnest.

Accompanied by senior leaders of the BRS, he called on the Director General of Police (DGP) Jitender and lodged a complaint with him seeking action on Congress-sponsored attacks targeting two women journalists in Kondareddypalli, the native village of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and on the peaceful protest of farmers led by former BRS MLA Gadari Kishore at Tirumalagiri in Suryapet district on Thursday.

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The journalists Avula Sarita and Vijaya Reddy, who had been to Kondareddypalli to verify the implementation of the crop loan waiver scheme, were subjected to physical assaults.

Their equipment was damaged. They were also chased by Congress workers and goons, with the incident drawing wide-spread condemnation, he said, adding that Revanth Reddy owed an apology to the journalists.

On the other hand, a peaceful protest staged by farmers had turned violent when about 50 Congress supporters attacked the farmers with stones and eggs.

Despite the provocation, the protesters did not retaliate as they wanted to avoid violence. He said the protesters’ tent was removed by the police.

He said the party was keen on not harming Hyderabad’s brand image, but the BRS would not take things lying low if the same tendency continued.

Rama Rao also raised concerns about the threats being held out to BRS activists for their social media posts, which he said was reprehensible.

There were attempts to revive the bomb culture once again in the State. Sounding a warning to the Congress party against the indulgence of its gangs in violence targeting the BRS, he mentioned that the patience and restraint being maintained by the BRS cadre should not be mistaken for weakness.

He demanded that DGP should take steps ensuring that cases were filed against those who attacked the protesting farmers in Tirumalagiri.

Cases should also be filed against those who attacked women journalists in Kondareddypalli as well, he said, asking what mistake the journalists had committed. If journalists do not have protection in the State, what would be the condition of ordinary citizens, he wondered.

Stating that the government had failed to implement the loan waiver to farmers as promised, he challenged the Chief Minister to establish his claim of having fulfilled it.

He offered to disprove any such claims of total waiver in any village of the Chief Minister’s choice. The BRS was not blaming the police and agriculture officials for the situation as it owed to the Chief Minister who had proved himself to be incompetent.

“We sympathize with the police instead. But some policemen are showing over enthusiasm which in fact will not be good. Power is not permanent for any single party,” Rama Rao said, also raising concerns over certain policemen participating in ministers’ birthday functions. He called for action against them.