RS Praveen Kumar lodges police complaint, seeks case against Congress MLA’s remarks against KCR

BRS general secretary RS Praveen Kumar has sought criminal action against Congress MLA Veerlapalli Shankar over alleged remarks about K Chandrashekhar Rao. He also accused the Congress government of targeting BRS leaders and suppressing the Opposition through police action and cases

Hyderabad: BRS general secretary RS Praveen Kumar lodged a complaint with the Banjara Hills police seeking criminal action against Shadnagar Congress MLA Veerlapalli Shankar over his alleged remarks expressing a desire for former Chief Minister and BRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao’s death. He demanded an apology from Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to Chandrashekhar Rao and immediate criminal action against Shankar.

He sought registration of an FIR against Shankar under Sections 351, 351(3), 196(1) and 61 of the BNS. He condemned Shankar’s reported remarks that Congress leaders wanted the former Chief Minister to die and were organising a rally with 1,000 drums to perform “Chavu Dappu” (traditional funeral drumbeats) to mark it.

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Speaking to mediapersons later at Telangana Bhavan here, Praveen Kumar said the remarks were not an isolated incident and accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of repeatedly encouraging such language against the Opposition leader. He alleged that Congress leaders and MLAs were sent to Chandrashekhar Rao’s Erravelli residence under police escort, while BRS leaders heading there were stopped and arrested.

He termed the alleged move a conspiracy to attack the BRS chief and demanded immediate registration of a case against Shankar. He accused the government of diverting attention from public issues by targeting BRS leaders. He questioned the arrests of MLCs Thatha Madhu and Naveen Kumar, despite Madhu having already clarified that he had not intended to insult the Speaker, withdrawn his remarks and expressed regret.

The former IPS officer alleged that BRS women MLAs were subjected to inhuman treatment during the Assembly confrontation and questioned the government’s decision to book cases against them. He also accused Congress leaders of repeatedly referring to the Speaker as a Dalit in a manner he termed insulting, while the BRS legislators treated him with utmost respect.

He alleged that BRS legislators were stopped despite wearing T-shirts carrying no abusive or personal remarks. He questioned why similar protest messages displayed by Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in Parliament had not attracted such action. He said the BRS would continue to fight the government and alleged that Congress was using cases and police action to suppress the Opposition.