HYDERABAD: State BJP Mahila Morcha activists, led by their president Shilpa Reddy, staged a protest at Chengicherla on Tuesday, demanding that police take immediate action against those responsible for the alleged attack on women during Holi celebrations on Sunday evening.
Tension prevailed near a religious structure in Chengicherla after members of two different communities resorted to pelting stones as music was reportedly being played loudly in its vicinity. Five persons sustained grievous head injuries while a few others received minor injuries when the police tried to intervene.
Alleging that the police attacked the protesters with batons, BJP leader Madhavi Latha asked, “Why did they take the protesters to Keesara instead of Medipally police station?”
“They unleashed atrocities on SC/ST women. The women couldn’t even wipe their tears? This situation is worse than the British and Aurangzeb rule put together. This is razakar rule and we want freedom from this,” she said.
Madhavi Latha, who is also the BJP candidate in the Hyderabad segment in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, said that she is not being allowed to visit the area because “they don’t want the truth to come out”.
She alleged that the two-bedroom flats are only being allotted to Muslims who have come from outside. “Only god knows if they are from Bangladesh or Pakistan,” she added.
She demanded that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy immediately take action against the responsible police officers.
‘Communal fanatics attacked women’
Meanwhile, BJP general secretary MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar alleged that “communal fanatics” attacked women belonging to the ST community.
In a video message, he said that the present Congress government, like the previous BRS regime, is supporting a section of society.
The BJP wants all sections of society to be treated equally, he said.
“The BJP and Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists are being arrested if they try to meet the victims,” he said.
“The BJP condemns this attack on ST women by communal fanatic goondas who are the successors of Razakars and anti-social elements,” he added.
He demanded that cases under the SCs and STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act be booked against those who “attacked” women, besides initiating criminal proceedings under all applicable laws. He also claimed that the police resorted to lathicharge when activists of Bajrang Dal and VHP sought to give a reassurance to the people.