HYDERABAD: The Telangana BJP on Sunday said that it has shifted the venue of 'Nirudyoga Deeksha' from Dharna Chowk to the party headquarters at Nampally, even as it accused the State government of resorting to arrests of unemployed youths, student leaders and party workers ahead of the protest.
The first statement issued by the party said that "in view of the the restrictions clamped by the State government on public meetings and rallies across Telangana till January 2 to stop the spread of Omicron variant of COVID-19, it was decided to shift the venue of 'Nirudyoga Deeksha' from Dharna Chowk to the party headquarters at Nampally".
The deeksha would be held on Monday. The statement said that BJP condemns the imposition of restrictions as the State government was trying to prevent the dharna from being held at Indira Park. "This was the reason why the GO 327 was issued on Christmas day, a holiday," the statement said.
"To escape from the ire of the unemployed youth the government is playing these tactics, which will not last long. One day they will have to face the consequences," said D Pradeep Kumar, BJP State general secretary.
In a separate statement, BJP State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar strongly condemned the arrest of unemployed youth, student leaders and party workers. He wondered what problem did the government have when the protest was being organised at the party office, where Covid precautions were being taken.
Terming the arrests as "suppression of a democratic protest", he said that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s dictatorial ways were 'atrocious'. Sanjay Kumar also said the State government was getting scared of the backlash from the unemployed youth if the deeksha was allowed to be held.
He appealed to intellectuals, educated and democratic people across the State to condemn the arrests and participate in the deeksha setting aside their political and ideological differences.
Sanjay Kumar, BJP in-charge for Telangana Tarun Chugh and other leaders would be participating in the deeksha from 10 am till 5 pm on Monday, maintaining physical distancing and taking other COVID precautions.
Curbs due to omicron or fear, asks BJP
Condemning the imposition of restrictions under the pretext of Omicron spread, the saffron party said that the truth was that the State government was trying to prevent the dharna from being held at Indira Park. A statement said that one day, the TRS government will have to face the consequences of not heeding to the legitimate demands of the unemployed youth in the State.