BRS defers Rythu Maha Dharna in Nalgonda, moves High Court after police deny permission

Party leadership files lunch motion petition; court postpones hearing to January 27

Nalgonda: The BRS’ Rythu Maha Dharna, scheduled to be held at the Nalgonda Clock Tower Centre on Tuesday, was temporarily postponed following denial of permission by the police. The party leadership has approached the Telangana High Court, filing a lunch motion petition challenging the rejection.

However, the court deferred the hearing to January 27, prompting party leaders to postpone the event until a decision was announced. The government pleader informed the High Court that due to the grama sabhas scheduled to be held from January 21 to 24, followed by Republic Day on January 26, the police were unable to make necessary bandobust for the BRS protest.

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On January 17, BRS town president Bhonagiri Devender had submitted an application to the police to organise the protest at Clock Tower Centre in Nalgonda with 1,500 farmers from 10 am to 4 pm. BRS working president KT Rama Rao was scheduled to participate in the dharna. After keeping the application pending for four days, the police rejected it on Monday, less than 24 hours before the protest commenced. Ironically, the police cited traffic congestion as a reason for rejecting the application.

The Rythu Maha Dharna is part of a series of protests being organised by the BRS to expose the Congress government’s failure in fulfilling its promises given to farmers, during the last Assembly elections. The party had organised a similar protest at Shabad in Chevella constituency of Rangareddy district recently.

Speaking to mediapersons on the occasion, former Minister G Jagadish Reddy criticised the Congress party, stating that it feared the voice of Telangana farmers and the leadership of Rama Rao. He charged Congress leaders, particularly Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, with influencing the police to deny permission for the protest.

“All political parties conduct their programmes at Nalgonda Clock Tower Centre. If the Chief Minister and ministers can stage protests on busy roads at the Raj Bhavan and the Enforcement Directorate office in Hyderabad without disruption, why deny farmers their right to hold a peaceful dharna?” he questioned.

He declared that despite the police denying them permission, they were hopeful of the High Court verdict in their favour. He said the Maha Dharna would be held after the High Court’s verdict. “We respect the law and will abide by the Court’s decision. This protest is crucial to bring attention to the plight of farmers and the Congress government’s betrayal,” he said.