Prashanth Reddy alleges police high-handedness against MLAs, MLCs during Assembly protest

BRS MLA Vemula Prashanth Reddy accused the Telangana government of using excessive force against party legislators during an Assembly protest. He alleged police assaulted MLAs and MLCs, restricted black T-shirts and sought to prevent BRS legislators from entering the House

Hyderabad: Former Minister and BRS MLA Vemula Prashanth Reddy accused the Revanth Reddy government of unleashing hooliganism against BRS legislators on the first day of the Assembly session, after the BRS highlighted its alleged 1,000-day governance failure. He warned that Revanth Reddy would face political backlash for the high-handedness against BRS MLAs and MLCs.

Speaking at Telangana Bhavan on Monday, Prashanth Reddy alleged that police pushed BRS legislators, including the party’s working president KT Rama Rao, BRSLP deputy leader T Harish Rao and others, to the ground and trampled them during the protest. He said BRS legislators staged a peaceful protest against the government’s failure to implement its promises.

---

He alleged that police choked former Home Minister and BRSLP deputy leader P Sabitha Indra Reddy by the throat and pulled MLA V Sunitha Laxma Reddy by her saree. He said several legislators were also physically attacked in the scuffle.

The former Minister questioned the restriction on black T-shirts, pointing out that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi had worn black T-shirts in Parliament. “Is the law different for Rahul Gandhi, KTR and Harish Rao?” he asked.

He said around 2,000 police personnel were deployed outside the Assembly and that they lifted and stuffed BRS legislators into their vehicles. He accused the Congress and BJP of colluding to keep BRS legislators away from the Assembly but declared that BRS legislators would not be intimidated.

BRS Legislature Party whip K P Vivekananda alleged that the police action was carried out according to the Chief Minister’s plan. He accused the government of targeting BRS legislators instead of addressing governance issues and alleged that women legislators were treated inappropriately.

MLAs Anil Jadav and K Vijayudu were also present.