HYDERABAD: Tension prevailed at the main gate of the Telangana State Legislative Assembly on Monday, the first day of the State Legislative session, when Opposition BRS leaders tried to attend the session wearing black T-shirts in protest against the failures of the Congress government during its 1,000-day rule.
When the police objected to the BRS leaders wearing black T-shirts, a scuffle broke out between the police and the BRS leaders. Several BRS leaders, including BRS working president KT Rama Rao, T Harish Rao, P Sabitha Indra Reddy and Sunitha Laxma Reddy, as well as several police personnel, were injured in the melee.
BRS MLA Sunitha Laxma Reddy alleged that police personnel pulled her by her saree, while Sabitha Indra Reddy alleged that male police personnel dragged her by her hair.
The BRS leaders entered into heated arguments with the police and insisted that they be allowed to attend the session wearing black T-shirts. However, the police detained the BRS leaders and dropped them off at Telangana Bhavan, the BRS headquarters. Rama Rao and Harish Rao condemned the alleged “high-handedness” of the police.
However, police officials on duty said there was nothing wrong with entering the Assembly wearing black T-shirts. They said the T-shirts, however, carried “objectionable” words against the government and added that this was the reason the BRS leaders were not allowed to attend the session.
Later, the BRS leaders said that doctors treated KT Rama Rao, G Jagadish Reddy, MLC Yadav Reddy and others, who were injured during the melee, at Telangana Bhavan.