JANGAON: Several Bharatiya Janata Party workers sustained serious injuries when alleged ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) activists pelted stones at the Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav programme organised by the party at Devaruppula village of Jangaon district on Monday. Two of the BJP workers suffered serious head injuries in the sudden attack with stones and sticks allegedly by those from the TRS side.
The police resorted to a lathi-charge on the BJP workers who tried to repulse the attack. Reacting to the incident, State BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who was on his way to Devaruppula as part of his Praja Sangrama Yatra before the violent incident, accused Warangal Commissioner of Police (CP) Dr Tarun Joshi of acting like a TRS activist. “If you can’t maintain law and order, you had better sit at home,” said Sanjay. By the time the State BJP chief reached the village, the situation returned to normal.
He spoke to Director General of Police (DGP) M Mahender Reddy and lodged a complaint with him over the incident. He wondered what the police were doing when the TRS ‘goons’ were attacking his party workers. “Are the police getting their monthly salary from Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao? He will be in power only for six months. The DGP should ensure peaceful passage of the padayatra. If such attacks are repeated, the police would be held responsible for any repercussions,” Sanjay warned.
He said the DGP should respond immediately and take action against the police officials responsible for the lathi-charge. “Otherwise, we will bring the injured BJP workers and stage a dharna at the BJP office in Hyderabad,” he said. Sanjay wondered why the TRS workers should attack the peaceful rally being undertaken by the BJP to understand the people’s issues. “Do you attack us for questioning the government?” he asked.
Sanjay alleged that KCR was behaving like a ‘dictator’ towards those who questioned his ‘autocratic’ rule. “When farmers protested against the government, they were handcuffed and jailed. Even unemployed youths are being slapped with criminal cases and the TRS leaders are not hesitating even to kill those who question their atrocities,” he alleged. Sanjay said there was no need for him to take up a padayatra, braving heat and rain, had KCR government resolved the people’s issue.
Bouncers in Bandi Yatra attacked by TRS supporters: Errabelli
Jangaon: Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao on Monday condemned the alleged attack on TRS workers at Devaruppula village in Jangaon district, by BJP ‘supporters’. He alleged that about 500 hired bouncers who were among the BJP State president’s Praja Sangrama Yatra, threw stones on TRS workers. “The mob armed with knives, sticks and other weapons was moving along with Bandi Sanjay during the padayatra,” he alleged. Speaking to the media, he said that TRS supporters became impatient when Sanjay criticised CM K Chandrashekar Rao using unparliamentary language. “Seeing this, BJP workers attacked our people,” he alleged.
Stay calm, Bandi tells BJP activists
“Let KCR take up a padayatra and reach out to people. I will immediately stop mine,” said BJP State president Bandi Sanjay. He appealed to his party workers not to get provoked by TRS attacks. “Let us receive the stones pelted by them as flowers. Let us continue our padayatra and understand their issues,” he added. Earlier, Sanjay hoisted the Tricolour and recalled the glorious fight of the people of Devaruppula during the Telangana armed struggle against the Nizam rule.