Hyderabad (Telangana)[India], September 8(ANI): BRS MLC Koti Reddy on Tuesday termed the arrest of party MLCs T Madhusudhan Rao alias Tata Madhu and Naveen Reddy an “illegal and false case”, alleging that the two leaders had committed no offence.
“They never committed any offence. They never abused anyone, as alleged by the police. This is an illegal and false case against our MLCs with an intention to keep them in judicial custody,” Koti Reddy said.
BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan also condemned the arrests, accusing the Telangana government of suppressing the Opposition and curbing freedom of expression.
“Revanth Reddy is running this government like Hitler,” Sravan told ANI, alleging that BRS MLAs and MLCs were manhandled by police, marshals and unidentified people in civil dress when they attempted to enter the Assembly wearing black T-shirts as a symbolic protest against the government’s “thousand days of misgovernance, misdeeds and corruption”.
Sravan alleged that women MLAs were also manhandled during the incident.
He further alleged that the government was attempting to implicate Tata Madhu by attributing statements to him that he had never made, and claimed that the MLC was arrested despite being stopped outside the Assembly premises.
“This morning, they have arrested him. No reason. The jurisdiction of a Speaker comes only when the person enters into the premises of the Council or the Assembly,” Sravan said.
He alleged that Tata Madhu and Naveen Reddy were detained in connection with the incident and strongly condemned their arrests.
Questioning the state government’s handling of the Opposition, Sravan asked, “Is this democracy?” and alleged that there was no space in Telangana for peaceful protests.
He also appealed to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to intervene, alleging that while the Congress speaks about protecting the Constitution and democracy across the country, the same principles were being undermined in Telangana.
“If this is the fate of MLAs and MLCs, what will be the fate of a common man?” Sravan said.
Meanwhile, BRS leaders staged a protest outside Narayanguda Police Station, demanding the release of party MLCs Tata Madhu and Naveen Kumar Reddy following their arrest.
The protest followed the arrest of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC Thatha Madhusudan alias Tata Madhu by Saifabad Police on Tuesday in connection with a case registered over alleged derogatory and abusive remarks against Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar.
According to police officials, Tata Madhu was arrested at 7 am on Tuesday.
He has been brought to Narayanguda Police Station after being arrested and is being produced before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Nampally, Hyderabad, for judicial custody. (ANI)
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